Nanzen-ji

Nanzen-ji commands sweeping city views from its massive sanmon gate, which stands 22 meters tall—50% higher than the gate at Tofuku-ji. The temple complex sprawls across 60 acres at the foot of Higashiyama, incorporating a 19th-century aqueduct that channels water from Lake Biwa. Entry to the main grounds costs just 500 yen, undercutting the average temple admission by 30%. The sub-temple Tenju-an features a 400-year-old weeping cherry tree that blossoms each April, drawing 3,000 visitors per day. The rock garden, a celebrated example of kare-sansui, contains precisely 15 stones.