Nanzen-ji
A Zen temple founded by Emperor Kameyama in 1291 on the site of his detached palace, and head of its own branch of Rinzai Zen. A brick aqueduct of the Lake Biwa Canal runs through its grounds, near the great Sanmon gate.
- Where
- Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 35.0111, 135.7942
Get the Nanzen-ji stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Nanzen-ji. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Kyoto volume with your photos and a note.
Near Nanzen-ji
Chion-in 1.2 km
The head temple of Jōdo-shū, the Pure Land school founded by Hōnen, who taught that reciting the name of Amida Buddha brings rebirth in his Pure Land. Its Sanmon is one of the largest wooden gates in Japan, and its great bell is rung by a team of monks at New Year.
Heian Shrine 1.3 km
A Shinto shrine in Sakyō, built in 1895 for the 1,100th anniversary of Kyoto's founding. Its main buildings are a scaled-down copy of the old imperial palace, and a giant red torii stands over the road in front.
Philosopher's Walk 1.6 km
A footpath beside a shallow canal between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji, lined with cherry trees and first opened in 1890. It is named for the philosopher Nishida Kitarō, who is said to have walked it daily in meditation.
Yasaka Shrine 1.6 km
A Shinto shrine at the east end of Shijō-dōri, once called Gion Shrine and the centre of the Gion faith. It is dedicated to Susanoo and his consort, and each July it hosts the Gion Matsuri, one of Japan's most famous festivals.
Kōdai-ji 1.7 km
A Rinzai Zen temple in Higashiyama, founded by Nene in memory of her husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Its gardens, designed by Kobori Enshū, are a Place of Scenic Beauty, and its precincts a National Historic Site.
Ginkaku-ji 1.8 km
A Zen temple in Sakyō, the Silver Pavilion, built in the Muromachi period as a retreat for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Despite the name it was never covered in silver, and its garden of raked sand includes a flat-topped cone called the Kōgetsudai.
Gion 1.9 km
Kyoto's best known geisha district, which grew up in front of Yasaka Shrine to serve travellers and pilgrims. In its lanes of wooden teahouses, especially along Hanamikōji, a geiko or maiko may pass on her way to an evening appointment.
Kiyomizu-dera 2.0 km
A temple in the eastern hills of Kyoto, one of the few that predate the city's founding as capital, dedicated to Kannon. Its great wooden stage juts out from the main hall on tall pillars over the slope, and below it the Otowa waterfall runs in three streams.
More hidden gems in Kyoto
Questions
Where is Nanzen-ji?
Nanzen-ji is in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Chion-in (1.2 km), Heian Shrine (1.3 km), Philosopher's Walk (1.6 km).
How do I get the Nanzen-ji stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Nanzen-ji and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Kyoto volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Nanzen-ji before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Kyoto volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.