Peaceful sightseeing in Arashiyama

⏳ 4 min read + locations pined on map

Jizo-in (Bamboo temple)

Nestled among the bamboo on the outskirts of Arashiyama in western Kyoto, the Jizo-in temple and its serene Japanese garden offer a peaceful retreat.
This is one of my favorite temples and I recommend visiting if you are looking for tranquil sightseeing away from the crowds.

What is a ‘Jizo’?

Jizo (地蔵), in Japanese ’womb of the earth’ is a stone statue made in the image of Jizo Bosatsu, the guardian deity of children and travellers. You can often find these child-looking statues in Buddhist temples and gardens. In the cold months, you can sometimes see them dressed in red bibs and hats. Locals care for them by making these clothes out of fabrics or crocheted, as an offering, and since the colour red is said to protect from danger and illness, it means to keep the deity in good health. I always found these tiny clothes on them very cute, imagining the devoted hands crafted them.

In Jizo-in, you will only find a handful of statues and this is not the main attraction to this site. The real attraction is the unique atmosphere of this humble temple which is surprisingly unknown by most tourists.

Sit back and relax

After passing through the gate entrance you will walk up a short alley under the bamboo. There, you can stroll around the garden and enjoy the vegetation. At the back of the garden, you will enter a small building where you can sit in front of a small moss garden and enjoy the tranquillity of nature. Travelling often means a lot of walking and planning, but let’s treat yourself to a moment of peace in your day. Hear the wind whistling in the pine branches, the birds singing…Whether you like to meditate or not, this garden calls for slow and quiet admiration. Personally, I always feel somehow lighter and energized after visiting here.

After your visit, if you feel like seeing another garden, you can visit the temple next door called Jūjo-ji which is free to enter. It has a particularly beautiful bamboo section with essences that resemble pre-historical creatures(see photo below), moss, tea bushes, Momiji and camellias.

Then, if you feel like having a hot drink in a cosy place, I recommend Bamboo café a few minutes walk from the temple. It is built into an old building and in the back garden you can see the old tearoom which is entirely built out of bamboo. It’s a very atypical architecture.

I added Jūjo-ji and Bamboo café to the map at the bottom of this page.

How to get to Jizo-in?

Opening times:

Open daily from 9:00 to 16:00

Ticket: 500¥/personne

Go by bus

Take the 73 (from Kyoto station, platform C6) or 63, Kokedera / Suzumushidera stop then walk for 3 min.

Go by train

Take the Hankyu Arashiyama line, stop at Kamikatsura then walk for 12 min.

Go by taxi

Address: 23 Yamadakitano-cho, Nishikyo-ku

Tel.: 075‐381‐3417