{"id":26673,"date":"2026-10-27T13:31:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T04:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/?page_id=26673"},"modified":"2026-10-28T18:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T09:46:11","slug":"kakuonji-koyo-tokubetsu-sanpai","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/en\/kanazawa-kaido\/kakuonji-kamakura\/kakuonji-koyo-tokubetsu-sanpai\/","title":{"rendered":"Kakuonji Temple Autumn Leaves Special Visit (Light-Up)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"The
The main gate of Kakuonji Temple, lit up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Is the Autumn Leaves Special Visit at Kakuonji Temple?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Autumn Leaves Special Visit at Kakuonji Temple (\u899a\u5712\u5bfa)<\/a> is held during the autumn foliage season at Kakuonji, a temple deep in a quiet valley in the Nikaido (\u4e8c\u968e\u5802) area of Kamakura (\u938c\u5009). During this period, visiting hours are extended into the evening, and the temple grounds are lit up at dusk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Infographic
The illustration is for reference only<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dates, Hours and Admission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2026, the special visit runs from Wednesday, November 25 to Thursday, December 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last entry 6:40 p.m.). Compared with the usual visiting hours (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., last entry 3:40 p.m.), the temple opens one hour earlier and stays open three hours later. The start time of the light-up has not been announced. The autumn leaves are usually at their best from late November to mid-December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Admission is 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students, the same as usual. No reservation requirement has been announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights: Valley Maples Glowing in Firelight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The maples in the temple grounds are lit by lights made to look like bonfires and torches, creating a quiet, dreamlike scene completely different from the daytime. Because the temple sits in a valley surrounded by hills, the sun sets early, and it is quite dark by about 5:00 p.m. The temple is not crowded, so you can enjoy the autumn leaves in peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At Kakuonji, photos and videos are not allowed in the grounds beyond the reception desk. This rule also applies during the special visit, including at night, so put your camera away and enjoy the autumn leaves with your own eyes. You may take photos between the main gate and the reception desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Kakuonji Temple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kakuonji began as the Okura Yakushi-do (\u5927\u5009\u85ac\u5e2b\u5802) hall, built by Hojo Yoshitoki (\u5317\u6761\u7fa9\u6642) in 1218. In 1296, Hojo Sadatoki (\u5317\u6761\u8c9e\u6642) made it a temple, praying that the Mongol invasions would never return. The main hall, the Yakushi-do (\u85ac\u5e2b\u5802), enshrines the principal images, a seated Yakushi triad (\u85ac\u5e2b\u4e09\u5c0a), and the Twelve Heavenly Generals (\u5341\u4e8c\u795e\u5c06). The Yakushi-do is the largest thatched building in Kamakura. The grounds also include the Aizen-do (\u611b\u67d3\u5802) and Jizo-do (\u5730\u8535\u5802) halls, the Former Utsumi Residence (\u65e7\u5185\u6d77\u5bb6), a relocated old farmhouse, and yagura<\/a> (\u3084\u3050\u3089<\/a>), cave tombs carved into the hillsides that are typical of Kamakura.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access: Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From bus stop No. 5 at the East Exit of JR and Enoden Kamakura Station (\u938c\u5009\u99c5), take the Kama 20 bus bound for Kamakuragu (\u938c\u5009\u5bae<\/a>), also called Daitonomiya (\u5927\u5854\u5bae), to the last stop, Daitonomiya, then walk about 10 minutes. Free parking is available for visitors, but the road to the temple is very narrow, so public transportation is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you stay in Kamakura, you do not have to worry about the time to get back after an evening visit. At Toshi’s Place, fully unstaffed smart hotels with full kitchens and no meals provided, you can explore Kamakura at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Autumn Leaves Special Visit at Kakuonji is a late-autumn special visit where you can quietly enjoy the maples at night in an old temple deep in a valley. Since photography is not allowed, you can take your time and keep the maples glowing in firelight and the thatched Yakushi-do in your memory. For the temple’s regular highlights, see Kakuonji Temple<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Name<\/td>Kakuonji Temple Autumn Leaves Special Visit<\/td><\/tr>
Dates<\/td>Late November to December 10 every year (2026: November 25 to December 10)<\/td><\/tr>
Hours<\/td>9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last entry 6:40 p.m.), with a light-up from dusk<\/td><\/tr>
Admission<\/td>Adults 500 yen, elementary and junior high school students 200 yen<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/td>Kakuonji Temple<\/td><\/tr>
Address<\/td>421 Nikaido, Kamakura, Kanagawa<\/td><\/tr>
Photography<\/td>No photos or videos beyond the reception desk<\/td><\/tr>
Access<\/td>From the East Exit of JR\/Enoden Kamakura Station, take the bus (Kama 20) to Daitonomiya, then walk about 10 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Contact<\/td>Kakuonji Temple +81-467-22-1195<\/td><\/tr>
Official website<\/td>Kakuonji Temple<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Google Map<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n<\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Is the Autumn Leaves Special Visit at Kakuonji Temple? The Autumn Leaves Special Visit at Kakuonji Temple (\u899a\u5712\u5bfa) is held during the autumn foliage season at Kakuonji, a temple deep in a quiet valley in the Nikaido (\u4e8c\u968e\u5802) area of Kamakura (\u938c\u5009). During this period, visiting hours are extended into the evening, and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":26648,"parent":3016,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page__event.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"kamakura_cuisine":[],"class_list":["post-26673","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t