Gio-ji Temple: Basic Information, Highlights, and Beautiful Seasons

Gio-ji Temple, located in Arashiyama, Kyoto, appears in the Japanese literary classic, “The Tale of the Heike”. It is associated with the tragic story of Giō from this tale, making it a must-visit for those interested in Japanese history and classical literature.

Gio-ji Temple offers a serene and peaceful atmosphere, allowing visitors to enjoy its beautiful moss garden and the natural changes of the seasons.

This article can be used as a reference and will explain what kind of place Gio-ji Temple is, including its attractions and historical background.

Gio-ji Temple is a small temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Known as “the nunnery of tragic love” from “The Tale of the Heike”, it attracts many visitors from both Japan and abroad.

The temple is situated in a nature-rich area surrounded by the bamboo groves of Saga-Arashiyama. The most notable feature of Gio-ji Temple is its moss garden. The moss, which covers the entire garden, showcases various expressions throughout the year. In spring, cherry blossoms scatter over the moss, and in autumn, the moss garden is adorned with colorful autumn leaves.

kyoto temple

arashiyama kyoto

出典：祇王寺「拝観案内」

Gio-ji Temple has an admission fee of 300 yen for adults and 100 yen for children. There is also a joint admission ticket available with Daikakuji Temple in the Arashiyama area for 600 yen, which saves 200 yen compared to paying for each separately. Please note that there is no joint ticket price for children. If you plan to visit both Gio-ji and Daikakuji Temples, we recommend purchasing the joint admission ticket. It is about a 25-minute walk between Gio-ji and Daikakuji Temples.

Pets, excluding guide dogs and hearing assistance dogs, are not allowed to enter. Even if your pet is in a cage, you cannot visit with them.

Additionally, there are set visiting hours. You must purchase your ticket and enter by 4:30 PM, and the temple grounds close at 4:50 PM, so night visits are not possible.

The nearest stations to Gio-ji Temple are JR Saga-Arashiyama Station and Keifuku Electric Railway’s Arashiyama Station. It takes about 25 minutes to walk from these stations to the temple. Gio-ji Temple is located in the opposite direction of Togetsukyo Bridge, beyond Nison-in Temple.

Besides trains, you can also reach Gio-ji Temple by bus. If you are coming from Hankyu Railway’s Shijo Kawaramachi Station, take the Kyoto City Bus No. 11 and get off at Saga Elementary School-mae, from where it is about a 15-minute walk to the temple. From JR Kyoto Station, take the City Bus No. 28 and get off at Saga Shakado-mae, from where it is a 10-minute walk to Gio-ji Temple.

2月9日(金)、朝の苔庭です。
青空が広がり、日差しもあり少し暖かく感じます。
境内にある小さな梅の木に花が付きました。 pic.twitter.com/QkmPOrqjmC

— 祇王寺 (@giouji_kyoto) February 9, 2024

Gio-ji Temple is a nunnery known for its appearance in “The Tale of the Heike”. The temple’s background is rooted in the tragic love story of Giō, a shirabyōshi (a traditional female dancer) who was initially favored by the famous Heian period military leader, Taira no Kiyomori, but was later abandoned for a new favorite, Hotoke Gozen. After being replaced, Giō, along with her mother and sister, retired to this place and became a nun.

The temple was originally part of the precincts of Ōjōin and was founded by Ryochin, a disciple of Hōnen, the founder of the Jōdo-shū (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism. As Ōjōin fell into ruin, the small nunnery survived and eventually gained renown as Gio-ji Temple. Inside the main hall, wooden statues of Giō and her family are enshrined, serving as valuable cultural heritage that tells their poignant story.

Gio-ji Temple is a place where visitors go to appreciate both the historical background and the natural beauty of Kyoto.

Gio-ji Temple has many attractions. Among them, the garden covered with lush green moss is a favorite where visitors can experience the beauty of Japan.

Here are two main highlights of Gio-ji Temple:

【今日の祇王寺】
優しい光が苔庭にそそいでいます pic.twitter.com/AFerDyZ53w

— 祇王寺 (@giouji_kyoto) May 3, 2024

A moss garden typically features moss planted on the ground, stones, and trees for aesthetic appreciation. Such gardens have been cherished in Japanese garden culture for centuries and are integrated into various forms of gardens, including dry landscape gardens (karesansui) and courtyard gardens (tsuboniwa).

The charm of a moss garden lies in its serene and tranquil atmosphere. The green carpet of moss provides a sense of peace to those who behold it. Gio-ji Temple boasts a wide variety of mosses, and it is enjoyable to observe the differences between each type.

The circular window at Gio-ji Temple, known as the “Yoshino Window,” is located in the waiting room of the thatched hut. The sunlight streaming through the window, which frames the greenery and bamboo grove outside, creates beautiful colors on the shoji screens, earning it the nickname “Rainbow Window.”

The circular window is highly valued as a piece of Japanese architecture that harmonizes with nature. Many people find themselves moved by the changing scenery as the light shifts throughout the day.

Gio-ji Temple offers a different kind of beauty each season, making it a delightful place to visit year-round. Here is a detailed look at what you can expect to see at Gio-ji Temple throughout the four seasons.

Spring in Japan spans from March to May. When you visit Gio-ji Temple during this season, you can experience the gradually warming climate and a landscape bursting with beautiful greenery.

During the peak of cherry blossom season, the moss garden of the temple becomes covered with cherry blossoms, creating a breathtaking scene that resembles a pale pink carpet. The melodious song of the bush warbler (uguisu) can be heard from the bamboo grove, heralding the arrival of spring.

cherry blossom kyoto

Summer in Japan lasts from June to August, typically starting with the end of the rainy season.

Gio-ji Temple in summer is mesmerizing with its vibrant, fresh greenery. The entire temple grounds are enveloped in a deep green hue, and the young bamboo thrives, creating a refreshing atmosphere. The gentle breeze through the bamboo grove feels particularly pleasant.

The tranquil sound of cicadas (higurashi) reverberates quietly, allowing visitors to enjoy the sounds of nature amidst the temple’s serenity. Remember to take precautions against heat stroke while you explore the temple grounds in summer.

Autumn in Japan runs from September to November.

Autumn at Gio-ji Temple is famous for its stunning autumn foliage. The temple’s paths, garden, thatched roofs, and bamboo grove are quietly covered with fallen leaves. The landscape, dyed in deep crimson, exudes a quintessentially Japanese ambiance.

One of the temple’s autumn highlights is the vibrant“blue maple” (aomomiji). The scene of the moss garden covered with a crimson carpet, known as blue maple, attracts many visitors as one of Kyoto’s iconic autumn views.

Winter in Japan spans from December to February.

Gio-ji Temple in winter often sees a light dusting of snow, creating a scene reminiscent of an ink painting.

The thatched hut emerging through the mist offers a fantastical beauty unique to winter.

As Kyoto winters can be quite cold, make sure to dress warmly when visiting.

Gio-ji Temple is one of the most popular temples in Arashiyama, Kyoto, and each of the four seasons offers an unforgettable view to the visitor. In spring, cherry blossoms decorate the moss garden, while in summer, the lush bamboo grove and refreshing breeze provide comfort. Autumn brings vibrant foliage that colors the entire temple, and the winter snow creates a magical landscape.

The temple also features a stone monument inscribed with a poem that Giō wrote on the sliding door when she left Taira no Kiyomori, and the thatched hut enshrines five wooden statues.

Please visit Gio-ji Temple, a site associated with “The Tale of the Heike.”

This article is based on information available as of May 2024.