Shinnyo-do Temple

Shinnyo-do Temple is one of those spots that might not be on the itinerary of the casual visitor to the city but whose transformation in the autumn is breathlessly anticipated by devoted koyo heads. The grounds are teeming with tripod and DSLR-toting foliage fans beginning from the end of November to the start of December, when the hundreds of maples on the grounds go up like a torch in countless shades of crimson. The truth is, crowds in Kyoto during koyo season are unavoidable—but that’s part of the experience!