京都駅から歩いて行く東寺 | Walking virtual tour from Kyoto station to Toji temple
Walking from Kyoto station to Toji temple on January 6th. It was a warm day even though it was January. To go from the north side of Kyoto Station to the south side, cross the tracks using the underground passage or Nanbokujiyuturo(Pedestrian Walkway) on the second floor. On this day, I used the Nanbokujiyuturo(Pedestrian Walkway)
Go up one floor by escalator from ground level. The current Kyoto Station building, the fourth generation, was completed in 1997. Many people post the views from here on social media lately. At this morment, there weren’t many people. Kyoto Station is usually more crowded. Macha cafe FUKUCHA on the right.
In front is JR Isetan department store. Turn left to go to the south. HOTEL GRANVIA KYOTO Super useful tourist information desk Kyo Navi. JR local line West Gate. Souvenir specialty store. On the left is the JR West ticket office, Midori no Madoguchi. There are so many Starbucks at Kyoto Station.
Please be careful when you use them as a meeting point. Here we go down one floor, but it is still second floor in Japanese. Not ground floor. Please note that this can be confusing. The JR line ticket office on the left is JR Tokai. Kyoto Station has JR West and JR Tokai.
Turn right while looking at the Shinkansen central exit. Kintetsu Kyoto Station When you get off the escalator, you are on the ground floor finally. When you exit from the left side, you will see the Hachijo Exit taxi stand. In front is MIYAKOMICHI. Souvenir shops and restaurants. Very popular restaurant TOYOTEI.
HAMAMURA, we can enjoy spicy mustard noodle, is the end of MIYAKOMICHI. MIYAKO HOTEL KYOTO HACHIJO South part of Kyoto station is called HACHIJOGUCHI. There are many hotels and the bus stop to airport. AEON MALL KYOTO. Grocery store, One Dollar store, UNIQLO, MUJI and restaurants.
The big pink ribbon on the left is the Wacoal building. Turn left at the corner of that building and head towards to Toji temple. Go west at Auranokoji-Tojimichi. Now we can see the Toji temple. It’s about 20 min from Kyoto Station. There is still New Year’s ornament.
We can enter the precincts of Toji Temple for free. Five-Storied Pagoda, national treasure from the 17th century. The warehouse that used to store valuable scriptures. Lotuses bloom beautifully in summer season. Best place to shoot the five-storied pagoda beautifully. The large precincts are used as a parking lot for tour buses and worshipers.
During the KOBO market held on the 21st of every month, precincts is lined with hundreds stoll. There were a lot of tourists, but not crowded. Kanchi-in Back side of Jikido Two guardian temples were built on the main entrance of the old Kyoto around 800.
One of them is Toji temple which has survived to the present day. Treasure museum is open only during spring and autumn. Mieido is national treasure and functioned as the residence of Kukai who founded Shingon Buddhism. We can enter. Let’s see around the Daishido in a clockwise direction.
It seems that a holy service was being held at this time. Bishamon-do GOHIKI-san Fudo-myoou, a Buddhist statue never shown to the public. Holy fire offering ritual was held on the New Year’s day. San-men-daikoku-ten Dainichi-do The five-colored curtain is hung only on special occasions. Out from the gate which I entered.
During the KOBO market, hundreds stoll of Kyoto style pickles, dried young sardines, vegetable, bread, honey, dried fruits and other foods Stoll food like hamburger, fried noodles, and Japanese sweets. There are also shops selling antiques, handmade accessories, and second hand kimonos. Most famous Shikoku Buddhist pilgrimage is believed that KUKAI originated.
Many pilgrims visit to Toji to pray the safety of their pilgrimage. We can get pilgrimage goods at this Jiki-do Jiki-do has temple stamp counter and calligraphy school. There were the brochures of pilgrim tour. Ticket counter sells souvenir too. My recommendation is common ticket. We can approach to Five-Storied Pagoda with ticket.
Huge Sakura tree is beautiful in spring. We can see many national treasure statue in Kon-do and Ko-do. The Kodo is said to be a three -dimensional version of the mandala with 21 statues. In Kodo, principal object of worship of Toji temple is stays with other statues.
Five-Storied Pagoda is the highest wooded pagoda in Japan, measuring 55m. The pagoda is normally closed to the public, except for special opening events. Current pagoda and Kon-do is builed about 200 years ago. Toji temple is not open 24H.
Every 21st, Toji temple is very crowded but if you have luck, you can enjoy this scenery. There is moat surrounding south part of the Toji temple. We can see rare gray herons.
2024年1月 京都駅の北側（烏丸口）から東寺（教王護国寺）まで歩いた動画です。
京都旅行・京都観光・修学旅行の下調べのご参考になると嬉しいです。
0:00 京都駅北側（烏丸口）をスタート
11:00 東寺到着・境内散策
30:00 ルートマップ
Walking virtual tour from Kyoto station to Toji temple filmed on January 6th 2024.
Toji temple is listed in UNESCO world heritage and one of a biggest Shingon Buddhism temple.
Please visit and admire the national treasures at Toji temple.
＊固有名詞は文化庁の表記にあわせました