Located in the southeastern part of Kyoto, Daigoji Temple complex is one of the oldest structures in Japan’s ancient capital.
The huge temple with numerous buildings and a spectacular Japanese garden has been included in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. The temple consists of two parts. The lower part is situated at the base of the mountain. The upper part with several buildings stands in the midst of the deep mountain forest. One-hour walk from the lower part will take you to the upper part of Daigoji. The humble building in the upper part make a sharp contrast with the gaudy structures of other heritage sites in the city. The lower part is popular for its beauty in the cherry blossom season. Its main path lined with 700 cherry trees will surly add to your pleasure when they are in full bloom. Samboin, at the left of temple’s main entrance, is the largest sub temple of Daigoji. It is famous for its beautiful garden. The magnificence of this garden distinguishes it from all other gardens in Kyoto. The garden with various types of trees is designed around a big pond. The spacious complex, masses of stones in different shapes, slight inclination of the ground and rich collection of floras, are the factors, which add to its grandeur. Around eight hundred large angular shaped stones placed along the side of the pond, is an interesting feature of this ostentatious garden. Its unique design with the ground, inclined upward from the veranda and bigger trees forming the boundary of the garden, increases its beauty. The veranda offers an exclusive view of the garden’s interior decoration. A five-story pagoda, considered as the most prominent of all pagodas in Japan, stands against the backdrop of Mountains adorned with lush green foliage. Different levels of this ancient pagoda and its beams, columns and brackets are placed one after another in such a manner that the whole structure diminishes in size as it moves up. The Shimo-Daigo area of Daigoji, which contains most of the prominent structures of the temple including the famous pagoda, is an important part of Daigoji. How to Reach To reach the famous Daigoji temple you have to take the Tozai Subway Line and get off at the last station. From the station 15-minute walk will take you to the huge temple complex. If you are in Kyoto station, avail the JR Tokaido, Kosei or Biwako Line to reach the Yamashina Station. From Yamashina Station you have to change to the Tozai Subway Line. When you are on a trip to Kyoto, don’t miss this popular destination in Japan’s cultural hub.
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