Koke-dera Temple, Suzumushi-dera Temple, and Matsunoo-taisha Shrine

This walking course visits three shrines and temples lined up at the foot of Mount Matsuo in western Kyoto. The journey takes you from Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, venerated as the home of the deity of sake brewing, to Suzumushi-dera Temple, where visitors listen to Buddhist sermons amid the chirping of crickets, and on to Saiho-ji Temple, widely known by the nickname Koke-dera Temple. Please note that Saiho-ji Temple is open only to visitors who have reserved in advance.

History and Local Charm

Matsunoo-taisha Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto. Legend has it that the Hata clan, who settled in this region around the fifth century, revered the deity of Mount Matsuo as their ancestral guardian spirit, built a weir on the Katsura River, and turned the wild fields on both banks into arable farmland. In the first year of Taiho (701), the shrine pavilions were erected at their current location at the foot of the mountain.

To the south lies Saiho-ji Temple, which originated in 731 during the Nara period when Gyoki founded it as a temple of the Hosso sect. In the second year of Ryakuo (1339), at the invitation of the chief priest of Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, Muso Kokushi revived it as a Zen temple and renamed it Saiho-ji Temple. Moss began to flourish in the garden from the late Edo period, and today the temple is part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" World Heritage site. Situated nearby is Suzumushi-dera Temple, formally known as Myotokuzan Kegon-ji Temple. Since being relocated to the present site of Matsumuro in the eighth year of Kyoho (1723), it has kept the flame of Buddhist teachings alive here for approximately 300 years.

Key Highlights

• ​Matsunoo-taisha Shrine​​: This shrine enshrines Oyamagui-no-Kami and Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto and has been revered as the "Foremost Deity of Sake Brewing in Japan" since around the end of the Muromachi period. The main sanctuary, built in the Matsunoo-zukuri style, is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The grounds also feature Kame-no-i, a sacred spring whose water is mixed into batches by sake brewers. The three gardens of Shofu-en Garden, designed by Shigemori Mirei, are another prominent highlight.
• ​Suzumushi-dera Temple​​: A Rinzai Zen temple where the 8th head priest, Daigan, spent 28 years mastering the method of keeping bell crickets chirping all year round. In the guest hall, visitors enjoy tea and sweets while listening to an approximately 30-minute Dharma talk in a room echoing with cricket songs. Beside the temple gate stands the Kofuku Jizo (Happy Jizo), depicted wearing straw sandals (waraji), who is said to walk directly to you to grant your wishes.
• ​Saiho-ji Temple​​: A Rinzai temple whose entire garden is covered with over 120 varieties of moss. Visiting begins with the practice of copying sutras (shakyo) in the Sairai-do Hall, the temple's main hall. The lower section features a strolling pond garden centered around Ogonchi Pond, which is shaped in the form of the kanji character for "heart". Along the walking path stands the Shonan-tei Teahouse, the oldest structure on the grounds, built by Sen Shoan. The garden is designated as a National Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

Suggested Route & Time Required

The recommended time for the entire route is around five hours. Because Saiho-ji Temple is open only to those with advance reservations, it is best to secure your booking first and plan your visits to Matsunoo-taisha Shrine and Suzumushi-dera Temple around that scheduled time.

Matsunoo-taisha Shrine is about a 3-minute walk from Matsunoo-taisha Station on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line. Pay your respects at the main sanctuary, and tour the gardens and the sake museum. About 400 meters south is the auxiliary Tsukiyomi-jinja Shrine. Walking about 700 meters south from Matsunoo-taisha Shrine brings you to Suzumushi-dera Temple. You will climb 80 stone steps up to the main gate. The visit takes about 40 minutes, including reception, the sermon, viewing the garden, and praying to the Jizo statue. Depending on the season and time of day, you might have to wait around an hour to enter.

Saiho-ji Temple is located about 200 meters southwest of Suzumushi-dera Temple. For the return trip, you can take Kyoto Bus Route 73 to Kyoto Station from the nearby "Kokedera/Suzumushidera" bus stop, or walk back to Hankyu Matsunoo-taisha Station. The walk from Suzumushi-dera Temple to Matsunoo-taisha Station takes about 15 minutes.

Experience Summary

Offer a prayer to the mountain deity whose worship dates back to the Hata clan at Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, listen closely to the soothing song of crickets at Suzumushi-dera Temple, and quietly reflect in the tranquil moss-covered garden of Saiho-ji Temple. Enjoy the leisurely flow of time at the base of Mount Matsuo.