Orders

Ryoan-ji Temple

Name: Ryoan-ji Temple
Address: 13 Ryōanji Goryōnoshitachō, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8001, Japan
Rating: 4.5

4.5 (200)・Tourist Attraction・Place Of Worship・Point Of Interest・Establishment

Ryoan-ji Temple, the Temple of the Dragon at Peace, is pivotal in Kyoto's rich tapestry of historical and spiritual sites. Originating as an aristocratic villa in the Heian Period, it was converted into a Zen temple in 1450, adhering to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism sect. Its most striking feature, the karesansui (dry landscape) rock garden, presents a meditative space with fifteen stones arranged meticulously amongst raked gravel, encapsulating the Zen aesthetic of simplicity and introspection.

This layout, designed from the temple's veranda, ingeniously ensures that not all stones can be seen simultaneously from any point, inviting endless contemplation and interpretation. Beyond the garden, Ryoan-ji Temple also boasts a water garden known as Kyoyochi Pond, dating back to its origins as a villa and a teahouse, enriching the visitor's experience with its varied landscapes.

Ryoan-ji Temple's rock garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is not just a visual spectacle but a spiritual journey, challenging visitors to seek inner peace through its minimalist beauty and the mysteries of its arrangement. The temple's historical resilience, surviving the Ōnin War and a devastating fire in 1779, adds depth to its serene ambiance, making it a must-visit for those seeking to delve into Japan's Zen Buddhist traditions and the philosophical underpinnings of Japanese aesthetics.

Hours:

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (March - November)

8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (December - February)

Closed:

No closing days

Available:

All Year

Minimum Age:

All ages are welcome

Admission Fee:

600 yen (Adults)

300 yen (Children under 15)

Hours

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Phone

+81 75-463-2216

Website

www.ryoanji.jp

The area

Address

13 Ryōanji Goryōnoshitachō, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8001, Japan

Top ways to experience Ryoan-ji Temple

3hrs

Chartered Sightseeing Taxi in Kyoto 3-hour course

From $210 /person

8hrs

Full-Day Private Guided Tour to Kyoto City

From $226 /person

8hrs/10hrs

Kyoto Private Car Tour: Explore Arashiyama, Kinkakuji, Fushimi Inari and More

From $578 /person

What other travelers are saying about Ryoan-ji Temple

For me personally this was one of the best temple in Kyoto. The grounds are vast and aesthetically done. The water body, water lilies and the trees surrounding it took my breath away. There was a special exhibition of sliding screen exhibition by Mr Morihiro Hosokawa which was stunning. The zen garden of 15 mysteriously arranged stones was very calming. They also house a pure veg restaurant in the temple premises which is an experience not to be missed. There were many signs for accessibility

Bharathi Mani

Mar 29, 2025

A place where time slows down and silence becomes the main attraction. Ryōan-ji isn’t about taking the perfect photo – it’s about not needing to. The iconic rock garden invites reflection, not performance. The minimalist beauty, the stillness, the quiet gravel patterns… all create a meditative space that speaks louder than words. If you let it, this place will reset your mind. A true gem of Zen. Go early or off-peak for the full experience – and just sit.

Zuzana Přibylová

May 12, 2025

ZEN Less is more. This is the right place if you want to experience rock gardens, zen, aesthetics, emptiness and a high degree of concentration in space. An extraordinary experience! Come a little earlier in the morning or in the afternoon to be without the tourist groups and to be alone in the space. Take a nice walk to the water lilies afterwards.

Lorenz Ipsum

Mar 20, 2025

Unbelievably beautiful. We were fortunate to visit at the peak of autumn foliage and so at every turn, we had just the most beautiful vistas of red, orange and yellow to look at. Of the many beautiful places we got to visit during our trip, Ryoanji was the most breathtaking of them all for me personally. I really appreciated the simplicity and serenity of the temple and the zen garden as well. Coming from a country that tends to noise and chaos, it was quite wonderful to sit quietly and calmly by the garden with people from different parts of the world and appreciate the beauty of stillness and being present in the moment. There was also a beautiful display of dragon screens painted by an ex Prime Minister of Japan that was on during our visit. All in all, one of the highlights of our trip.

Elle Kaye

Jan 11, 2025

I was surprised how beautiful and mesmerizing this "less famous" temple in Kyoto. During late April, you can still see some sakura. It has a beautiful zen stone garden that makes you realize how time can be stopped. Another highlight is the series of black ink brush paintings of dragons. I just realized that this place is called "Ryu" (Dragon) "An" (rest) and "Ji" (Temple). So it makes sense to have artwork around dragon. As a person who was born in the year of dragon, it was a great surprise. A picture of "Dragon Gate" and the succession of dragons inspired me. In any event, this place is special to me and it might be special for you as well.