Ryōan-ji
Kyoto, Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ryōan-ji is a Buddhist temple located in the Ukyō Ward of Kyoto, Japan. It was established in 1450 and is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most looked-up sights in Japan on English Wikipedia.
Planning a visit
The weather in Kyoto varies by month. July and August are the warmest months, with average highs of about 30 °C. January and February are the coldest, with average lows of -1 °C. Rainfall is most frequent in the summer; July has the most rain at 228 mm and about 18 rainy days, while December has the least rain at 68 mm.
The temple is 368 km from Tokyo and 38 km from Osaka Itami International Airport. Visitors can combine a visit to Ryōan-ji with other nearby sites, such as Kinkaku-ji (1.1 km), Nijō Castle (3.5 km), the Kyoto Imperial Palace (4.1 km), or Tenryū-ji (4.5 km). The temple is open from 08:00 to 17:00, Monday through Sunday. The entrance fee is ¥600, and wheelchair access is limited for visitors.
Weather by month
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 30 °C. The wettest is July, with about 228 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 6 | 7 | 11 | 17 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 26 | 20 | 14 | 9 |
| Average low, °C | -1 | -1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 1 |
| Rainfall, mm | 74 | 86 | 126 | 126 | 172 | 225 | 228 | 136 | 191 | 134 | 88 | 68 |
| Rainy days | 16 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 17 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
