Daigo-ji Temple Night Illumination and Night Viewing

Night Illumination and Night Viewing at Daigo-ji Temple is presented here. Daigo-ji Temple offers night illumination (lighting up) and night viewing during the cherry blossom season in the spring, Manto-e in August, and the fall foliage season in the autumn. Daigo-ji Temple also holds Jyoya-no-Kane on December 31st.

【Daigo-ji Temple Night Illumination and Night Viewing 2023 Schedule】

★Spring Illumination (Cherry Blossoms) : March 31st (Friday) ,2023, 19:00 – 21:00 and April 1st (Saturday), 2023, 18:00 – 21:00
★Autumn Illumination (Autumn Leaves) : November 11th (Saturday) – December 3rd (Sunday), 2023, 18:00 – 20:50 (Registration closes at 20:10)
★Manto-e : August 5th (Saturday), 2023 from 18:00 – 20:30.
★Jyoya-no-Kane : December 31st (Saturday), 2023, around 24:00 –

【Daigo-ji Temple Location Map ＆ Directions】

Address: 22 Daigo-Higashoji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Daigoji bus stop (about 3 minutes on foot), Daigoji mae bus stop (about 3 minutes on foot), Subway Daigo Station (about 12 minutes on foot)

【Daigo-ji Temple Night Illumination and Night Viewing brief overview】

Daigo-ji Temple offers night illumination (lighting up) and night viewing during the cherry blossom season in the spring, Manto-e in August, and the fall foliage season in the autumn. Daigo-ji Temple also holds Jyoya-no-Kane on December 31st.
Daigo-ji Temple is famous for its cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, and is visited by many tourists during the cherry blossom season in spring and the autumn leaves season in fall. Daigo-ji Temple, along with Omuro-zakura (Ninna-ji Temple), Mt. Arashiyama, and Kasagiyama Nature Park, has been selected as one of the top 100 cherry blossom spots in Japan and is representative of Kyoto Prefecture.
At Daigo-ji Temple, Daigo-Ichi is held on the 29th of every month, and on March 29th and November 29th, visitors may enjoy Daigo-Ichi during the day and the illumination at night. However, depending on the climate of the year, Daigo-Ichi and the illumination period may not occur at the same time.
Daigo-Ichi is a flea market that contributes to the prevention of global warming and the reduction of CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions. A portion of the stall fees for Daigo-Ichi is donated to the restoration of world heritage sites and social welfare projects. At Daigo-Ichi, stalls sell handmade goods, specialtyl products, recycled goods, and food. At Daigo-Ichi, yakuzen-kayu (porridge) is served to the first 200 visitors. (Confirmation required) On the 29th of each month, the anniversary of the death of the 60th Emperor Daigo, the Gojyu-no-to (Five-Story Pagoda) is opened and a Buddhist memorial service is held.

【Spring Illumination (Cherry Blossoms, 桜) and Night Viewing】

Daigo-ji Temple is one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Kyoto. At Daigo-ji Temple, about 1,000 cherry trees such as Somei Yoshino, Weeping Cherry Trees, Yama-zakura, Kawadu-zakura, Yae-zakura, and Oyama-zakura are planted, and the best time to see the cherry blossoms is usually around early April. (The best time to see the cherry blossoms depends on the climate of the year.) It is said that Gojyu-no-to (Five-story Pagoda) is beautiful when it is colored with cherry blossoms.
Spring illumination (lighting up) and night viewing (night opening) are held from late March to early April, when the cherry blossoms are at their best. The period is from a few days to about a week. The cherry trees in the Reihokan Garden and Sanbo-in Temple are illuminated. More than 40 cherry trees are planted in the Reihokan Garden, including Daigo Oshidare-zakura (Daigo Great Weeping Cherry Tree), which is 180 years old and has branches of about 20 meters from north to south and about 24 meters from east to west, and the Somei Yoshino, which is estimated to be 100 years old and is over 11 meters tall. At Daigo-ji Temple, Hotaiko Hanami Gyoretsu (procession) is held on the second Sunday of April every year.
醍醐寺桜ライトアップ (Daigo-ji Temple Spring Illumination)
Daigo-no-Hanami was held at Daigo-ji Temple and Sanbo-in Temple, whichi is sub-temple of Daigo-ji Temple by Toyotomi Hideyoshi on April 20th, 1598. Toyotomi Hideyoshi appointed Maeda Geni as the bugyo (magistrate) for Daigo-no-Hanami, and gathered about 700 cherry trees from the Kinai (Kansai) region of Omi (Shiga), Kawachi (Osaka), Yamato (Nara), and Yamashiro (Kyoto), planted them on both sides of a mountain path on Mt. Daigo-san (454 meters high) and other areas, and built the temple building and garden of Sanbo-in Temple. About 1,300 people attended in the Daigo Hanami, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Toyotomi Hideyori, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s wife Kita-no-Mandokoro, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s concubines Yodo-dono, Matsunomaru-dono, Sannomaru-dono, Kaga-dono, Maeda Toshiie, Maeda Toshiie’s wife Matsu, and other feudal lords. It is said that at Daigo-no-Hanam, women were ordered to change their costumes twice, and each person was given three new kimonos. Daigo-no-Hanam is known as an event that is twinned with the Kitano Ochayu, which was held on October 1st, 1587.
Hotaiko Hanami Gyoretsu (Procession) is an event derived from Daigo-no-Hanami held by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598. At Hotaiko Hanami Gyoretsu, about 200 people dressed in Momoyama period costumes and dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Fukushima Masanori, Kyogoku Takatsugu, Gien, Kita-no-Mandokoro, Yodo-dono, etc. parade through the districts. In addition, a special stage set up, and Gagaku, Imayo, Kyogen, Hanami-odori, etc. are dedicated.

【Autumn Illumination (Autumn Leaves, 紅葉) and Night Viewing】

Daigo-ji Temple is a popular autumn leaves viewing spot in Kyoto. Maple trees, ginkgo, serrata, and rhubarb are distributed, and the best time to see the autumn leaves is usually from mid-November to late November. (The best time to see the autumn leaves depends on the climate of the year.) It is said that the tunnel of autumn leaves on the approach road after passing through the Nio-mon Gate is beautiful.
Autumn illumination (lighting up) and night viewing (night opening) are held from mid-November to early December, when the fall foliage is at its best. The period is relatively long, about 3 weeks. Depending on the time of year, visitors may not be able to see the beautiful illumination of the autumn leaves. The illuminated Kondo (Main Hall), Gojyu-no-to (Five-story Pagoda), Rinsen and Muryoju-en are said to be beautiful. Rinsen is the area around the pond where Kannondo is built, and is said to be the most beautiful place in Shimo-Daigo for autumn leaves. Events may also be held during the illumination period.
醍醐寺紅葉ライトアップ (Daigo-ji Temple Autumn Illumination)

【Manto-e (万灯会) and Night Viewing】

Manto-e (万灯会) is held every year on August 5th. Manto-e is a Buddhist ceremony to make offerings to ancestors and spirits, and to be mindful of the preciousness of life. At Manto-e, more than 1,000 lanterns and paper lanterns are lit to illuminate the approach to the temple, and Shoro-kuyo (memorial service for the spirits) and Osegaki-kuyo are held. Kondo and Gojyu-no-to (Five-story Pagoda) are also illuminated.
Osegaki-kuyo, also known as Segaki-e, is an offering of food to sentient beings suffering from the Gaki-do, one of the Roku-do.

【Jyoya-no-Kane (除夜の鐘) and Night Viewing】

Jyoya-no-Kane is held every year on December 31st. In general, Bonsho (temple bell) is struck 108 times to remove earthly desires and welcome the new year with a pure heart. At Jyoya-no-Kane, the public is welcome to strike Bonsho (temple bell). Numbered tickets will be distributed at Jyoya-no-Kane beginning in early December.

【Daigo-ji Temple brief overview】

Daigo-ji Temple (醍醐寺) was founded in 874 by Rigen Daishi Shobo, who, through the revelation of Yokoo Myojin, obtained the sacred spring of Daigo water, built a small temple on Mt. Kasatori, and enshrined Juryo Kannon and Nyoirin Kannon, which he carved himself. It is said that Rigen Daishi Shobo built Junteido and Nyoirindo in 876. Daigo-ji Temple was originally a private temple. In 907, Daigo-ji Temple became the Chokuganji Temple (Imperial Temple) of the 60th Emperor Daigo. Emperor Daigo and Empress Onshi built Yakushido in Kami-Daigo to house Yakushi Sanson, and Godaido to house Godaimyoo for the protection of the nation. Later, in 926, Shakado (Kondo) was built in Shimo-Daigo at the request of the Emperor Daigo.

【Daigo-ji Temple Night Illumination and Night Viewing remarks】
Always check with the organizer for event information. Information on this site is for reference only. Contents of the event may have changed.
京都紅葉ライトアップ2025