This video from Harukawa Film Works highlights 15 of Kyoto’s most serene and visually stunning gardens, exploring their beauty through the interplay of light and tranquility. The video serves as a visual tour, transporting viewers to some of the city’s most cherished sanctuaries—well-known for their calming atmospheres and masterfully designed landscapes. Each featured location invites you to appreciate the subtle aesthetics of Kyoto’s traditional gardens, where light, water, and seasonal changes create a peaceful retreat from urban life.

The journey begins at Renge-ji Temple, celebrated for its reflective pond and lush greenery, then moves to Bishamon-do Temple, known for its hillside grounds that offer panoramic views of the changing seasons in Kyoto. Other highlights include the intimate Takiguchi-dera Temple, the artistically arranged Arashiyama Yusai-tei, and the moss-rich environments of Saiho-ji Temple (also called Kokedera or “Moss Temple”), emphasizing the timeless wabi-sabi aesthetic—finding beauty in impermanence and simplicity.

Also featured are Yokoku-ji Temple, Sanbo-in, Unryu-in Temple, Sinnyo-do, Reiun-in Temple, Ruriko-in Temple (famous for vibrant autumn colors), Hosen-in Temple, Sennyu-ji Temple, Sanzen-in Temple in the rural Ohara area, and the elegant Shoren-in Temple. Each garden and temple is presented to showcase a distinct expression of Japanese landscape architecture and the quiet reverence of Kyoto’s cultural heritage.

Kyoto remains one of Japan’s premier destinations for garden enthusiasts and anyone seeking a contemplative atmosphere. Locations such as Saiho-ji Temple require advance reservations due to their popularity and significance. Many gardens, like those of Ruriko-in and Sanzen-in, also offer seasonal spectacles—especially during the autumn foliage season and the blossoming spring months. Exploring these gardens provides not only an immersion into Japanese aesthetics but also a meditative escape deeply rooted in the spiritual history of Kyoto.