Temple · Daigo / Fushimi Ward

Daigo-ji 醍醐寺

A sprawling mountain temple in southeast Kyoto with Kyoto's oldest building, a 951 five-storey pagoda, a Momoyama garden designed for Hideyoshi, and one of the city's great cherry blossom displays.

Hours9:00-17:00 (Mar to first Sun of Dec); 9:00-16:30 (winter); last entry 30 min before closing

ClosedOpen daily

Price3-site ticket: Sanbo-in, Garan, Reihokan (adult): ¥1,500
3-site ticket (adult, spring 20 Mar-mid Apr): ¥1,800
3-site ticket (junior high/high school): ¥1,000

Getting thereDaigo Station (Tozai Line), 10 min

Time needed2-3 hours

Best timeLate March to early April for cherry blossom; mid to late November for maples

Address22 Daigo Higashioji-cho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto

Websitedaigoji.or.jp

About

Daigo-ji was founded in 874 by the Shingon monk Shobo on the summit of Mt. Kasatori and spread down the slope into Shimo-Daigo, the lower temple, where most visitors go. Its five-storey pagoda, completed in 951, is the oldest building in Kyoto and survived every fire that swept the city. In 1598 Toyotomi Hideyoshi held his legendary "Daigo cherry-blossom viewing" here for 1,300 guests, planting 700 trees for the occasion; he also redesigned the Sanbo-in subtemple, whose garden of 800 stones including the famous Fujito-ishi is a Special Historic Site. The temple is spread across three ticketed areas: Sanbo-in, the Garan (main precinct with the pagoda, Kondo and the Bentendo pond, beautiful in autumn) and the Reihokan museum with a superb weeping cherry and Buddhist treasures. A steep hour-long trail climbs to Kami-Daigo for those with energy.

Highlights

Five-storey pagoda of 951, Kyoto's oldest building
Sanbo-in garden designed for Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Bentendo hall reflected in a pond of red maples in November
Reihokan treasure hall and its giant weeping cherry
Hour-long hike to the upper temple, Kami-Daigo

Tips

The three-site ticket is the best value; spring (20 Mar to mid April) prices are higher.
For cherry blossom, go on a weekday morning; the Hotai-ka Hanami parade is held on the second Sunday of April.
Take the Tozai Line to Daigo Station, 10 minutes on foot, or a community bus to the gate.
In autumn the Bentendo area is the photo spot; go late in the afternoon for warm light.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

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Daigo-ji 醍醐寺

About

Highlights

Tips

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