南禅寺と哲学の道 – Nanzen-ji & Philosopher’s Path

Being our first time in Kyoto for the cherry blossoms, we started off hitting the classic spots, namely Nanzen-ji and the Philosopher’s Path.

I had never been to Nanzen-ji, and having seen the Kabuki performance “Sanmon”, it was cool to see the real thing for the first time. It’s hard to imagine how it must have looked in it’s original red glory.  It must have been stunning.

The history of Nanzen-ji dates back to the mid-13th century, when the Emperor Kameyama built his retirement villa at the temple’s present location and later converted it into a Zen temple.  After its founding, Nanzen-ji grew steadily, but its buildings were all destroyed during the civil wars of the late Muromachi Period (1333-1573).  The oldest of the structures present today were built after that time.

The first structure visitors will come across is the massive Sanmon gate that marks the entrance to the temple complex.  Admission to Nanzen-ji’s central grounds are open free of charge, but separate admission fees apply for entering certain temple buildings, etc.  This includes the Sanmon if you would like to climb up to the gate’s balcony and enjoy the view of the city.

From the Nanzen-ji, it’s a pleasant walk to the start of the Philosopher’s Path, which got its name from  Nishida Kitaro, a famous Japanese 20th century philosopher and professor at Kyoto University who used this trail for daily meditation.  Rumor has it that he was especially inspired in April when the hundreds of cherry trees that lined the path burst into full bloom.

It started to rain, but that didn’t put a damper on the day in the slightest.  The walk was long and winding, following a slow flowing canal and lined with small shops, restaurants, and cafes along the way.  All under a canopy of beautiful white and pink blossoms.  The trees that arched over the water were particularly attractive, with petals scattering down and drifting along.  We both were definitely amazed and impressed.

Vital Information: 

• Open: Nanzen-ji 8:40 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from December to February; Admission until 20 minutes before closing time)

• Closed: Nanzen-ji December 28 to 31

• Nanzen-ji 500 yen Admission to Sanmon Gate

• Semi-English Friendly

• Nanzen-ji Take a Kyoto City bus and get off at Nanzenji-Eikando-michi bus stop Philospher’s Path 5-10 minute walk north of Nanzen-ji’s main temple buildings.