13/1/2016

Kodai-ji Fall Illumination in Kyoto

Spotlights on the fall foliage

Por Andrea Kahlow

Community writer

Foto 1 de 7

Entrance to the main area, the line waiting to buy tickets snaked all the way around the parking lot!

Tea house with fall colors

Pavilion on the pond

I couldn't get over how beautiful this pond/pool was with the illumination. It almost looked too perfect

A different angle on the reflective pond

Bamboo forest from above

Bamboo forest at night

Fall to early Winter is a popular time in Kyoto due to the Fall Illuminations. Like Christmas Illuminations, it involves lots of lights once the sun goes down, but unlike twinkling Christmas lights these illuminations are more like spotlights on the fall foliage. Since Kyoto is farther south than Tokyo the fall foliage season lasts into December.

Several of the most well-known temples and shrines have Fall Illuminations, including Kyomizudera and Nanzen-ji. Kodai-ji's reflective pool makes the fall colors and light look particularly magical, and it's easy to think for a second you are in some kind of fairy tale.

Kodai-ji's Fall Illumination is usually from late October to early December. Fall Illumination hours are from sunset (usually 5:00) to 7:30 and the entrance fee is 600 yen.