Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

If you check the calendar, they have a monthly flea market where vendors sell the cutest (and also kitschiest) crafts and vintage/antique items!! There was really a large array of offerings - from beautiful handmade ceramics to exquisite locally crafted knives to second hand kimonos and the randomest Knick knacks. I picked up a chawan and teacup myself! You can spend a good half day here strolling down the street. There are many food stalls interspersed in between as well so don’t be afraid of going hungry! The shrine itself is impressive and certainly slept on by all the tourists who come here. Impressively spacious grounds with beautiful autumnal foliage surrounding little pockets of well manicured gardens and mossy life sized stone lanterns. Very dreamy!!

The atmosphere was calm, quiet, and full of charm, with long rows of lanterns creating a truly magical scene. It’s the kind of place where you can slow down, take a deep breath, and really feel the history and serenity of Kyoto. I was also lucky enough to see a monkey performance during my visit, which added a fun and unique cultural touch to the day. The shrine grounds are well-kept and spacious, and it’s easy to spend time just wandering around and admiring the traditional architecture and nature around you.

One of my favorite evening shrines. So many lanterns lit up at night and not to many visitors makes for a very enriching and peaceful visit. I went many times both day and night and it never disappoints. I'd recommend going at about 630pm.

I liked the atmosphere this temple gives me, sometimes I visit at night it's very comfortable sitting there and spending time, Last time I visited there was some autumn festival kind of thing was going on, so much shops and food stalls, there is a sunset watching event going on.

The maple garden is open for a limited time in autumn and gorgeous when the foliage is at its peak. Admission to the garden is chargeable and you buy a ticket right at the entrance.

It is a beautiful and historic shrine dedicated to the god of learning, Sugawara no Michizane. It’s a peaceful place to stroll, especially during plum blossom or autumn leaf seasons. When I visited, there was a monkey performance right at the entrance — the monkey was so cute and clever! It was fun to watch and added a charming surprise to the visit. A great spot for both culture and unexpected entertainment.

There is a flea market/festival here on the 25th of every month. It's a fantastic place to buy secondhand Kimono, Yukata, Haori, and Obi for anywhere between ¥300 to ¥9500. There are also street food vendors!

We went yesterday (6 March 2024), and the plum blossoms were starting. By this weekend, they'll be at their peak. I highly recommend this spot for plum blossom viewing. The ¥1200 entry fee is worth it to experience the large garden and elevated viewing platform where you can look over the sea of flowers - amazing! The temple itself is truly impressive and only open to the public during spring and autumn. The grounds are quite large and the buildings are beautiful, especially the unusual rooves and gold highlights. My photos of the blossoms with the temple buildings were the best. Make sure to walk around the back of the main temple to get these iconic Japanese shots.