This article appeared in Tokyo Weekender Vol. 2, 2025.
To read the entire issue, click here.
As old capitals of Japan, Kyoto and Nara have long been centers of faith and tradition, the mountains around them revered as sacred spaces bridging the natural and the divine. Scattered throughout this topography are isolated temples and shrines, each with its own deep history and profound beauty.
Among these secluded mountain temples, a few are known among locals for the way they come alive when flowers bloom — cherry blossom petals drifting through the air in spring, hydrangeas blooming in quiet clusters come early summer or spider lilies and cosmos carpeting the ground as autumn approaches. Though these places are a wonder to visit year-round, they take on an even more otherworldly feeling when their signature flowers bloom.
Tsubosaka-dera: Takatori, Nara
Tucked in the mountains of Nara Prefecture, not far from Mount Yoshino, sits Tsubosaka-dera. Though it’s not as well known as Yoshino for its cherry blossoms, anyone who visits during this season can witness the temple’s large seated Buddha statue floating in a cloud of sakura — a quiet spectacle all its own. The temple is also beloved for its pale pink pagoda, which makes for stunning springtime photos.
The name “Tsubosaka-dera” means “jar on a hillside temple.” According to legend, the temple was founded in 703 by the monk Benki, who apparently had a beloved glass jar. While practicing asceticism on the mountain, a vision of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, appeared inside it, and so he placed the jar in a hermitage on top of the mountain. This is said to be the temple’s origin. A few centuries later, Sei Shonagon mentioned Tsubosaka-dera in The Pillow Book, where it’s included in her list of temples with miraculous powers.
Gansenji: Kizugawa, Kyoto
Deep in the forested mountains of southern Kyoto Prefecture, an isolated pagoda rises from the greenery. This three-story wooden pagoda is part of Gansenji, which, according to the temple’s documents, was founded in 729 by the celebrated Buddhist priest Gyoki.
Mystically serene in every season, Gansenji is a great spot for viewing both cherry blossoms and autumn colors, but early summer is when Gansenji really comes alive. Every June, when the hydrangeas bloom, the temple grounds are filled with white, pink, blue and purple tiny clouds against the lush green of the surrounding forest, and lotus flowers fill the pond.
Hasedera: Sakurai, Nara
Nestled in the mountains near the ancient town of Sakurai in Nara Prefecture lies the sprawling temple complex of Hasedera. Founded in 686, Hasedera is the center of the Bunzan school of Shingon Buddhism, and the temple complex consists of 30 buildings dotted around the hillside.
Leading up to the main hall is the temple’s famous covered wooden staircase of 399 steps, which is lined with peonies in the early spring and leads to an outdoor staircase decorated with hydrangeas in early summer. The main hall at the top offers a spectacular view of the temple complex and its surroundings, particularly during the cherry blossom season and when the leaves change in the autumn.
Shojuin: Ujitawara, Kyoto
During the summer, more than 2,000 wind chimes adorn this remote temple in southern Kyoto. The soft clinking of the decorated wind chimes, heard from the beginning of July until mid-September, is the origin of Shojuin’s nickname, Furinji — the Wind Chime Temple.
Though the Wind Chime Festival is a summer event, the temple offers seasonal beauty year-round, best viewed through the reception hall’s heart-shaped window looking out onto the garden. The hall’s ceiling is also decorated with 160 colorful paintings of flowers and other Japanese art, creating a splendid scene overhead.
Butsuryu-ji: Uda, Nara
Situated in Nara Prefecture, Butsuryu-ji has become well known for the spider lilies that turn the temple grounds into a carpet of vibrant red every year in early autumn. The temple is also popular locally as a sakura viewing spot due to its famous 900-year-old resident, Sennen-Zakura, a huge cherry tree that greets visitors along the entrance path.
Butsuryu-ji was founded in 850 by the monk Kenne, a disciple of Kobo Daishi. Behind the main temple buildings, carved into the mountainside, is an ancient-looking stone chamber, which is generally accepted to be Kenne’s grave.
Hannya-ji: Nara City, Nara
Every year in early autumn, a meadow of cosmos blooms around this temple on the outskirts of Nara city. The “Hannya” of the temple’s name is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word for “wisdom,” but today, Hannya-ji is more often associated with these flowers, and is nicknamed the Cosmos Temple.
Hannya-ji is rumored to have been founded in 629 by the monk Ekan, who came to Japan from one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea. Many of the buildings and artifacts at the temple have been designated Important Cultural Properties, in particular the gate entrance, a National Treasure dating to the 13th century.
