In short: Ichijoji, in north-east Kyoto, is best known for ramen, but the hillside above the station holds three temples worth an unhurried afternoon: Shisen-do (¥700, no booking), Enko-ji (timed booking required from 10 November to 10 December 2026, ¥1,500) and Manshu-in (¥800).
Getting there: take the Eizan Railway from Demachiyanagi. Shisen-do is about 15 minutes on foot from Ichijoji Station; Manshu-in is about 20 minutes from Shugakuin Station, further along the same line.
Watch the clock: last entry is 16:30 at Manshu-in and 16:45 at Shisen-do, so start by early afternoon if you want all three.
Why Ichijoji is more than a ramen stop
Ichijoji is well known for its many ramen shops, and that is what draws many visitors off the Eizan line. Walk east from the station, uphill toward the mountains, and the streets turn residential and quiet. That is where the temples are: smaller and calmer than the big names in Higashiyama, each known for its garden.
For the temples, this guide uses only their own websites and the Eizan Railway’s official site. We give fees and hours where the temples publish them, and say so where they don’t.
Plan your Ichijoji afternoon
Pick a date, the time you can reach the area and the temples you want. The planner puts them in walking order, checks each temple’s last entry, flags Enko-ji’s booking period and adds up the admission. Walking times from the stations are the official ones; time inside each temple and the walk between temples are our planning assumptions, not official figures.
The three temples
Shisen-do
The former villa of the scholar-poet Ishikawa Jozan (1583–1672), properly called Ōtotsuka. Its name comes from the room hung with portraits of 36 Chinese poets, attributed to the painter Kano Tan’yu, each with a poem written above it by Jozan.
9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:45) · ¥700 adults
Enko-ji
A temple known for its autumn colour. For the 2026 autumn special viewing it runs a date-and-time booking system, and asks you to allow about an hour.
9:00–17:00 · ¥1,500 adults during the special viewing
Manshu-in
A temple that dates its origins to the Enryaku era (782–806); it was rebuilt on its present site in 1656 by Imperial Prince Ryosho. Its shoin fittings share motifs with Katsura Imperial Villa, which is why it is sometimes called a “small Katsura”.
9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30) · ¥800
Shisen-do: no booking, even in autumn
On 30 October 2026 Shisen-do posted a notice that no reservation is needed at any time of year, including the autumn-leaf season: just arrive between 9:00 and 17:00 (last entry 16:45). It is closed for visits on 23 May each year. The temple is now a branch temple of Eihei-ji, head temple of the Soto Zen school. Its garden is known for the sound of its shishi-odoshi, the bamboo water device that knocks against stone.
The temple also asks visitors not to come by car in the autumn season, because the surrounding streets are narrow and parking is limited. If you take a taxi, it suggests getting out at the Shirakawa-dori Manshuin-michi junction and walking up. Please keep your voice down on the residential lanes, and take your rubbish with you.
Enko-ji: book a time slot from 10 November to 10 December
Enko-ji’s 2026 autumn special viewing runs from Tuesday 10 November to Thursday 10 December, 9:00–17:00, and during that period entry is by date-and-time reservation only. Bookings opened at 9:00 on 20 October 2026 through the calendar on the temple’s website. Admission in this period is ¥1,500 for adults and ¥800 for high school, junior high and elementary students.
Show the confirmation email (on your phone or printed) at reception. To change your date, time or group size, cancel and book again. Groups of 10 or more must arrange their visit by phone (075-781-8025). The car park is closed during the special viewing, long photo sessions are not allowed, and the temple suggests allowing about an hour. Outside this period, entry is normal and no booking is needed; the temple’s site did not list its regular admission fee when we checked.
Manshu-in: the imperial temple to the north
Manshu-in is open 9:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30, and its English site lists admission as ¥800 (no separate child rate is shown). It is about a 20-minute walk from Shugakuin Station or from the Ichijoji Shimizucho bus stop. It has a free car park for 50 regular cars, while Enko-ji’s car park is closed during the special viewing and Shisen-do asks visitors to use public transport in autumn.
The temple traces its origins to a place of prayer on Mount Hiei set up by Saicho, founder of the Tendai school, and the court taste of Prince Ryosho shows in the shoin garden, which the temple contrasts with gardens built for warrior residences.
Fees and hours at a glance
| Temple | Hours | Last entry | Adult | Students | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shisen-do | 9:00–17:00 | 16:45 | ¥700 | High school ¥500 · elementary/junior high ¥300 | Not needed. Closed 23 May |
| Enko-ji (10 Nov–10 Dec 2026) | 9:00–17:00 | Not listed | ¥1,500 | High school, junior high, elementary ¥800 | Timed booking required |
| Enko-ji (rest of the year) | 9:00–17:00 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not needed |
| Manshu-in | 9:00–17:00 | 16:30 | ¥800 | No separate rate listed | Not listed as required |
Getting there on the Eizan Railway
The Eizan Railway starts at Demachiyanagi, and its main line runs 5.6 km to Yase-Hieizanguchi. Get off at Ichijoji for Shisen-do (about 15 minutes on foot) and Enko-ji (about 20 minutes), or at Shugakuin, further along the line, for Manshu-in (about 20 minutes). Demachiyanagi is close to Shimogamo Shrine, so the two areas pair well in a day.
By city bus, Shisen-do is about 7 minutes on foot from the Ichijoji Sagarimatsu-cho stop. For buses and day passes, see our Kyoto bus and subway pass guide.
More in the Ichijoji hills
Tanukidani-san Fudo-in, the “Tanuki Valley” temple, is also in the Ichijoji hills. We could not check its official visiting information, so we have not given hours or fees for it here. On the Eizan Railway’s own list of sights, Konpuku-ji is about 15 minutes on foot from Ichijoji Station, and Sekizan Zen-in and Sagimori Shrine are near Shugakuin.
Whichever temples you choose, our temple and shrine etiquette guide covers shoes, photos and quiet in the halls. For autumn colour dates across the city, see Kyoto autumn leaves 2026.
FAQ
Do I need to book Shisen-do in autumn?
No. Shisen-do’s 30 October 2026 notice says no reservation is needed at any time, including the autumn-leaf season. Visit between 9:00 and 17:00; last entry is 16:45.
Do I need to book Enko-ji?
Only during the autumn special viewing, 10 November to 10 December 2026, when entry is by date-and-time reservation through the temple’s website. Outside that period no booking is needed.
Can I see all three temples in one afternoon?
Yes, if you start early enough. Manshu-in’s last entry is 16:30 and Shisen-do’s is 16:45, and Enko-ji suggests about an hour inside. Use the planner above to check your start time.
Which station should I use?
Ichijoji Station for Shisen-do (about 15 minutes on foot) and Enko-ji (about 20 minutes); Shugakuin Station for Manshu-in (about 20 minutes). Both are on the Eizan Railway from Demachiyanagi.
Is there parking?
Manshu-in has a free car park for 50 regular cars. Enko-ji closes its car park during the autumn special viewing, and Shisen-do asks visitors not to come by car in autumn because the roads are narrow.
Checked 1 November 2026 against the official websites of Shisen-do (top, access and 30 October 2026 notices), Enko-ji (top page and 2026 autumn special viewing notice), Manshu-in (English visiting and history pages) and the Eizan Railway (station guide and nearby sights). Fees and dates can change; check the temple’s site before you go.
