Fodor's Expert Review Tofuku-ji Temple
The immense Sanmon Gate at the west entrance of Tofuku-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple, is the oldest gate in Japan and one of three approaches to this medieval complex of 24 temples. Modeled after its counterpart at Todai-ji, in Nara, the 72-foot-high gate was destroyed several times over the years by fire. The gate was disassembled and reconstructed in 1978. Entry is not permitted through the gate, but you can observe it up close.
Tofuku-ji was established in 1236 and ranks, along with Myoshin-ji and Daitoku-ji, among the most important temples in Kyoto. Arranged around the main hall are four contrasting gardens (separate admission), both dry gravel and landscaped, including a stroll garden. The Heavenly Way Bridge that spans a maple-filled ravine is one of Kyoto's most popular autumn viewing spots. The gardens in the Hojo (abbot's quarters), completed in 1939, were the first large-scale commission of Shigemori Mirei, a famous garden designer.