[2025 Otsu Attraction] Travel Guide for Kyu Chikurinin Garden (Updated Mar)

Kyoto is a city full of history and culture, with temples everywhere. In Kyoto, you can experience the fusion of tradition and nature, and there are traditional buildings everywhere, giving you a completely different experience and feeling! 🔷🔷🔷My one-day tour guide to Kyoto suburbs: 🚗Transportation: Take the JR from Osaka to Kyoto Station (30 minutes) 🏨Accommodation: THE Royal Garden CANVAS Kyoto Nijo. 2-minute walk from Nijo Station 🗺️My one-day tour guide to Kyoto suburbs: ⏰Morning - Shinzen-en (5-minute walk from the hotel) 🕐Afternoon - Miho Museum (Take a bus from Kyoto Station to Ishiyama Station, then take a bus to Miho Museum) 🕤Evening - Kyukyochikuin (Take the JR from Ishiyama Station to Hieizan Sakamoto Station, walk for about 15 minutes) 💎Attraction features: 📍 Shinzen-en: Located near our hotel, we passed by it on our way to the station in the morning. It is the only surviving Heian-period building in Kyoto, and it is also a place for praying for rain. The most striking feature is the red bridge at the entrance, which is particularly bright and photogenic! Very distinctive! 📍 Miho Museum: Designed by architect I.M. Pei, it is a paradise inspired by Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring." After passing through a long tunnel, it is like a paradise, away from the hustle and bustle, and it is refreshing! 80% of the building is hidden in the mountains, surrounded by trees and mountains. There are also collections from all over the world to watch. If you have time, you must come and see! (🕐Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-17:00) 📍 Kyukyochikuin: Very niche but can perfectly replace Ryokoin. Ryokoin is very crowded and you have to wait to take a photo of the reflection on the table. However, there are almost no people here, and there are tables with reflections on both floors, which are also very beautiful! (🕐Tuesday-Sunday, 9:00-17:00) 📌Small tips: 1️⃣The cafe at Miho Museum is not recommended. Please do not arrange lunch here because there is only one set menu option and it is not filling. The overall taste of cakes and meals is not very good, and the price is much higher. 2️⃣Buy a JPY1,000 ticket here: including round-trip bus fare and Miho Museum admission ticket. Then, there is no need to buy tickets for all exhibitions in the museum! 3️⃣The admission ticket for Kyukyochikuin is less than half of that for Ryokoin, only JPY300. I happened to see its first light show and night view (JPY2,000/person). You need to book tickets in advance and enter at the specified time. It is a very different experience!

📍 Location: Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture Kyū-Chikurin-in is a historic residence located in Sakamoto, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. It was originally one of the Satobō—retirement residences for Buddhist monks from Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei. One of the main attractions of Kyū-Chikurin-in is its vast 3,300-square-meter strolling garden. This garden features two tea houses and a thatched-roof pavilion, creating a serene and picturesque atmosphere. The design skillfully incorporates the natural terrain, including artificial hills, waterfalls, and borrowed scenery from Mount Hachioji. The garden also uses water from the Omiya River, enhancing its seasonal beauty. Seasonal Highlights • Spring: Cherry blossoms bloom, creating a stunning contrast with the greenery. • Autumn: The garden is covered in vibrant red and orange maple leaves, beautifully complementing the lush moss. Kyū-Chikurin-in is a perfect place to experience traditional Japanese architecture and garden design in a tranquil setting. Visitors can take a leisurely stroll through the garden, explore the tea houses, and immerse themselves in the historical charm of this hidden gem. #celebrateit

📍Kyu-Chikurin-in Temple, Shiga Prefecture This is one of the Satobo temples, and is one of the most prestigious temples in Enryaku-ji. The garden is a nationally designated scenic spot, with a meandering stream incorporating the clear waters of the Omiya River, with Mount Hachioji as a backdrop. The hillside is also undulating, and many stone structures remain, such as five-story stone pagodas and wells. The two teahouses and gazebos built during the Taisho period are designated cultural properties of Otsu City. During the autumn foliage season, the temple is lit up at night, and the beautiful sight is only available for a limited time. If you have the time, be sure to visit! #0yentravelJanuary2025

Former Chikurin-in Temple was once a retirement home for monks. It is a place that exudes a sense of Japanese culture and is full of atmosphere. It is one of the most beautiful temples and shrines I have ever visited!! The garden is large, and when I visited in the summer, the surroundings were a deep green. In autumn, the leaves change color, allowing you to enjoy different seasonal views. If you go in the evening, there are fewer people and you can spend a relaxing and quiet time. The view from the first floor is particularly beautiful. The contrast between the green world outside and the red umbrellas is beautiful, and I spent the time gazing blankly at the garden reflected on my desk. There was a board on the table with recommended ways to take reflection photos. Everyone, please try taking some great photos at Chikurin-in Temple~ ✈︎---------------------------------------------✈︎ 📍: Former Chikurin-in Temple, Hiei-san Sakamoto 📸: iPhone 13 Pro, Canon EOS 5D MarkⅣ ✈︎---------------------------------------------✈︎ #DomesticTravelRecord #Hiei-sanSakamoto #Hiei-sanSakamotoStation #FormerChikurin-inTemple #FormerChikurin-inGarden #Satobo #Shiga #ShigaTourism #ShigaTrip

When it comes to upside-down autumn leaves in western Japan, Ruriko-in Temple in Rakuhoku, Kyoto comes to mind. A place with beauty comparable to that of Ruriko-in Temple is Motosatobo Kyu-Chikurin-in Temple in Shiga Prefecture, just 5km east of Ruriko-in Temple. *Although it is only 5km away in a straight line from Ruriko-in Temple, it takes about an hour by car to get there because you have to go around Mt. Hiei. Ruriko-in Temple is always extremely crowded, and the admission fee for advance online reservations is 2,000 yen, but this temple is still a little-known spot, as it is relatively empty and the admission fee is only 330 yen! There is also a free parking lot with space for 20 cars. Motosatobo is a residence for monks from Mt. Hiei when they went into seclusion, and is furnished with a teahouse and gazebo. Each of the two-story teahouses has a small lacquered table, and you can enjoy the upside-down autumn leaves as shown in the first and second pictures. Red Japanese umbrellas are also set up in the garden, creating a tasteful landscape. The fourth picture is difficult to see due to the backlight, but it is a spot where you can enjoy the scenery with Mt. Hachioji, which is said to be the most beautiful garden of the former Chikurin-in. When we visited in mid-November, the leaves were still about 70-80% autumn, but it was quite beautiful and many groups were visiting. The best time to see them is around November 20th every year. The moss garden is also wonderful and worth a visit. #tripdomestictravel #shigaprefecture #autumnleaves #greatview #shrinesandtemples