Overview
Kongo-in is a temple of the Toji branch of the Shingon school in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture. Its mountain name is Kahara-zan and its temple name Jion-ji, and it enshrines Namikiri Fudo Myo-o as its principal image. Famed for the maples planted alongside the Crane-and-Tortoise Garden said to have been designed by Hosokawa Yusai (Fujitaka), it is a celebrated autumn-foliage spot known as the Maple Temple of Tango, and also features as one of the settings of Yukio Mishima's novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
Highlights
- ●A famed autumn-foliage spot called the Maple Temple of Tango
- ●The Crane-and-Tortoise Garden attributed to Hosokawa Yusai
- ●Namikiri Fudo Myo-o enshrined as the principal image
- ●One of the settings of Mishima's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
History
Kongo-in, styled Kahara-zan Jion-ji, is an old temple of the Toji branch of Shingon Buddhism. In the Edo period, Hosokawa Yusai (Fujitaka) is said to have designed its Crane-and-Tortoise Garden and to have planted maples at the same time, which is why its autumn colors came to be praised as the Maple Temple of Tango. The principal image, Namikiri Fudo Myo-o, conveys a form of Fudo faith that cuts through raging waves to protect people. Having also served as one of the settings of Mishima's novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, it is a temple with deep literary ties. For its detailed history, please check official information.
Access
The temple lies in Kahara, Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture. Set back in the hills from central Maizuru, its surroundings are wrapped in rich nature designated as the Kongo-in Kyoto Prefectural Historic Natural Environment Preservation Area. As public transport is infrequent, visiting by car or checking timetables in advance is reassuring. Please confirm the nearest station and bus details with official information.
Best season
The greatest highlight is the autumn foliage. True to its name as the Maple Temple of Tango, around November the maples coloring the precinct turn crimson and gold, drawing many worshippers. The scene woven by the three-storied pagoda and the foliage is exceptional. The fresh green of spring and the green maples of early summer are also refreshing, offering natural beauty through the seasons.
Map
35.4765, 135.4469 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Head from central Maizuru to Kongo-in in Kahara
- 2Walk the approach into a precinct woven by the pagoda and maples
- 3Pray before Namikiri Fudo Myo-o and view the Crane-and-Tortoise Garden
- 4In foliage season, stroll the surrounding nature preserve on the way back
Did you know?
💡 The maples that color the grounds are said to have been planted by Hosokawa Yusai when he laid out the Crane-and-Tortoise Garden. The surroundings are designated a Kyoto Prefectural Historic Natural Environment Preservation Area, protecting a landscape in which temple and nature are one. As one of the settings of Mishima's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, it is also remembered as a scene of literature.
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