Kyōto is a city that has some of the best Buddhist temples in Japan.

For example Kinkakuji (金閣寺) is one of the most popular temples in Japan. It’s name means ‘Golden Pavilion Temple’. It’s called that because two stories of the temple are covered in gold leaf. Kinkakuji is a temple that houses relics of the Buddha and is located within a garden that contains a pond. The close proximity of the Temple and the garden represents the harmonious relationship between heaven (the Temple) and earth (the garden).

Ginkakuji (銀閣寺) is a called the ‘Silver Pavilion Temple’. Ironically, it was originally scheduled to have silver foil placed over the exterior of the Temple, but this plan never materialized. Despite not having the silver foil, the name ‘Silver Pavilion Temple’ has stuck through the ages. Ginkakuji was originally designed to be a place of calm and relaxation for the Shogun. However after the Shogun died, Ginkakuji was converted to a Buddhist Temple and remains a temple to this day.

Kōzanji (高山寺) is a temple located deep within the forest of a mountain. Kōzanji is known for housing a number of important national treasures. One such treasure is the Chōjūgiga (鳥獣人物戯画). The Chōjūgiga is an ink scroll of animal caricatures that perform human activities like praying to the Buddha and getting ready for a ceremony. It has been dubbed the first oldest form of manga in Japan. Other treasures include a dictionary that is thought to be the oldest Chinese character dictionary in Japan.

Saihōji (西芳寺) is a temple with limited access to the public. To visit the Saihōji, an application has to be filed and approved before the scheduled day of visit. Before visitors can enter the Temple, they are required to copy or chant long sutras. All these measures are in place to reduce the number of tourists from rushing into the temple grounds by making it difficult for tourists to visit. By reducing the number of tourists, the monks hope to be able to preserve some of the temple grounds from destruction.

Tenryūji (天龍寺) is historically an important temple because the Japanese royal court refused to submit to Chinese authority in the 1430s. Refusing to submit meant that the Chinese would not agree to trade with Japanese merchants. In order to get the Chinese to agree to trade, the Japanese court allowed the Chinese authorities to select the chief abbot of Tenryū Temple. This created a situation where Tenryū Temple became an important and famous temple within a short period of time.