Ninna-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Ukyo ward, northwest of Kyoto. It takes about 40 minutes by train from Kyoto Station. Ninna-ji Temple was founded by Emperor Uda at the end of the 9th century. Later, Emperor Uda was ordained and came to live at Ninna-ji Temple. From Uda ordaining until the Meiji era (1868-), it was a “Monzeki“ temple, with members of the Imperial family serving as abbots for generations.
The temple burned down in the Onin War in the 15th century, but was rebuilt in the first half of the 17th century by Tokugawa Iemitsu of the Edo shogunate.
The Niomon Gate as entrance was rebuilt around 1640 in a Japanese style (Heian period architectural style). The statue of Niou (two guardian kings) are glaring at you. The Kondo (Golden Hall) is a national treasure. Initially, it was built as the Shishinden Hall of the Kyoto Imperial Palace in 1613, then this hall was moved to its present location around 1630. This building is the oldest surviving Shishinden Hall and is valuable as the remains of the modern “Shinden-zukuri” Archtecutre. The five-story pagoda was rebuilt in 1644 and is an important cultural property. It features a design in which the width of each roof is almost the same from the top to the bottom.
The highlight is the Ninna-ji Palace. It consists of the South Garden, North Garden and several buildings. The south garden has the atmosphere of an imperial palace. The garden features cherry tree on the left, citrus tachibana tree on the right, and white sand on the ground. The North Garden is a pond-style garden with a central pond and a variety of plants and trees of various sizes. You can see the five-story pagoda across the pond and trees.
Ninna-ji Temple Official Site:
https://ninnaji.jp/en/
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