Kyoto autumn leaves: Reports, reservations and special visits

Check the announced 2026 Kyoto autumn foliage survey, Rurikoin and Enkoji booking periods, and Tenryuji morning and Kiyomizudera evening visiting arrangements.

Last checked:

  • Kyoto
  • Autumn leaves
  • Shrines, temples and parks

This page is updated every year at the same address. Please note the last checked date.

Planning autumn foliage in Kyoto () involves more than a list of places to see autumn leaves (). Foliage reports, advance reservations and special evening or early-morning visits are separate matters. This article sets out the announced arrangements for 2026 from the Kyoto City tourism association and temples’ official pages (checked 2026-10-28). On that date, the autumn foliage survey had not started, so the 2025 reports are not used as the current year’s conditions. For other itineraries, see the Kyoto travel guide.

Key points

  • The 2026 foliage survey is scheduled to start on 30 October, so there was no actual 2026 progress to report when this article was checked.
  • Reservation rules are not shared by all attractions: Rurikoin and Enkoji have each announced specific reservation dates for 2026.
  • Tenryuji announced special early-morning garden admission from 14 to 30 November 2026, with garden reception starting at 7:30; the north gate still opens at 8:30.
  • Kiyomizudera announced evening visits from 21 to 30 November 2026, closing at 21:30, with final admission at 21:00.
  • Special autumn visiting dates for 2027 have not yet been announced; do not copy the previous year’s schedule.

This year’s information (2026)

Item Details Source
Official Kyoto foliage survey Scheduled to start on 30 October 2026; as of the 28 October check there was no current-year foliage update Kyoto City tourism association (#1, #2)
Rurikoin reservation period Advance booking required from 13 November to 6 December 2026 Kyoto City tourism association (#1)
Enkoji reservation period Advance booking required from 10 November to 10 December 2026 Kyoto City tourism association (#1)
Tenryuji early-morning garden visits 14 to 30 November 2026; garden reception from 7:30, north-gate reception still from 8:30 Tenryuji (#3)
Kiyomizudera autumn evenings 21 to 30 November 2026; closes 21:30, final admission 21:00 Kiyomizudera (#4)
Autumn evening visits in 2027 Not yet announced; cannot be inferred from 2026 dates Kyoto City tourism association and temples (#1, #3, #4)

A scheduled start for foliage reporting is not the same as observed leaf colour changes. The official English autumn information still contains records from the previous year, so this page uses only the newly announced 2026 opening and reservation conditions. It does not use past reports to claim the current peak viewing period.

Places and activities: Reservations or special hours?

Place Announced arrangements for 2026 Important distinction for visitors
Rurikoin () Advance booking required on specified dates Check whether the visit falls within this year’s reservation period
Enkoji () Advance booking required on specified dates Do not apply another attraction’s booking rules here
Tenryuji () Early-morning garden reception during the announced autumn period Garden and north-gate reception begin at different times
Kiyomizudera () Extended evening opening on announced autumn dates Closing time is not the same as final admission

For a trip centred on Arashiyama (), read Tenryuji’s early-morning arrangements alongside the Arashiyama day-trip guide. For an evening visit in Higashiyama, first see the Kiyomizudera and Higashiyama walk to plan entry to the temple.

What to check before departure

Item What to confirm Why it matters
Foliage progress Whether reports cover 2026 and the actual reporting date Do not substitute 2025 observations for the current year’s changes
Reservations Whether the date falls in Rurikoin’s or Enkoji’s reservation period Each temple has its own entry conditions
Morning visits Which entrance at Tenryuji accepts visitors The garden and north gate have different announced start times
Evening visits Kiyomizudera’s closing and final-admission times for that year Evening opening is not available throughout the year
Plans for next year Whether an announcement for the new year has appeared Do not fill in dates without official confirmation

Kyoto foliage conditions and special temple opening schedules are independent information. Announcing special visiting dates does not confirm that the foliage will be at its peak on those dates. This is especially relevant when reservations must be made in advance.

Reminder

All dates, reservations and special visiting hours on this page come from 2026 announcements. When checked on 28 October 2026, the foliage survey had not yet started. Tickets, time slots and on-site rules may change; check official sources again before departure.

Further reading

Sources