[Taste]・The matcha dumplings have a gentle flavor and come with green tea・The matcha tea was surprisingly delicious with the Ajari mochi provided together【Atmosphere】・It's the best to relax while enjoying such a beautiful view【Cost Performance】・It's a bit pricey, but considering the location, it's reasonable【Location】・It's perfect for a quick break at the end of the route before heading to the next sightseeing spot.

【November 25, 2022】I visited Kinkakuji Temple for the autumn leaves illumination. During this season, many temples in Kyoto are illuminated, but there were long lines at the entrance. I waited for about 30 minutes. I had some zenzai, which was delicious! I ordered zenzai for 700 yen, mitarashi dango for 700 yen, and matcha for 700 yen. It was a satisfying meal.

During the peak autumn foliage season, I visited Eikando Temple. I was lured by a delightful smell to this shop. The small-sized mitarashi dango here is absolutely delicious. It was the best mitarashi dango I have ever had. Maybe it's because of the autumn foliage effect? Haha, one stick was not enough for me.

On November 10th, in Kyoto where the autumn leaves had just begun. I prefer the mix of red, yellow, and green colors rather than just the bright red peak, so I visited Eikando Temple in the early part of the season. The weather was nice with the sun shining and clouds passing by. I had only heard about the autumn leaves, but the temple itself was wonderful too. I was captivated by the main statue of Amida. Climbing up to the Tahoto Pagoda, I could see a panoramic view of Kyoto city, which was very refreshing. After paying my respects, I enjoyed a matcha set at the tea house in the temple grounds. I heard that all the menu items come with sencha, and indeed, the matcha set also came with sencha. The sweets included were Ajari mochi. Maybe it was the scenery or maybe it was real, but I felt that the Ajari mochi I had there was softer and more delicious than what I usually have. Matcha set 700 yen (plus a 1000 yen admission fee for the autumn temple treasures exhibition at Eikando Temple)

This is a resting place located inside Eikan-do temple. They offer matcha, mitarashi dango, and tea dango for 700 yen each. You can sit in the garden and enjoy the view of the pond. The weather was nice, so it was a very pleasant experience.

Let's go to Kyoto! So, I took a taxi from Kyoto Station to Eikando for a walk among the beautiful autumn leaves. The red leaves were so stunning this year. After walking around, I took a break at this shop. I had the Matcha and Houjicha Dango for 700 yen. This price includes the location, after all, it's Kyoto. Let's enjoy the atmosphere. The Matcha dango wrapped in red bean paste was surprisingly delicious. Itadakimasu!

Autumn 2021. Posters with the catchphrase "The best autumn leaves in Kyoto are at Eikando" are posted all over Kyoto. Despite worrying about the increased crowds due to this advertising, I couldn't resist and ended up heading to Eikando. I visited on a sunny day, aiming for a time with less congestion. It was quite crowded as expected, but I managed to enjoy the 3,000 maple trees on the temple grounds while avoiding crowded areas. After walking around in the cold weather, I felt chilled and decided to warm up at a tea house. This tea house, appropriately named, offered a creamy matcha that surprised me, as well as hojicha to cleanse the palate. It might have been the best matcha I've had outdoors this year. The sweets were individually wrapped Ajari mochi, convenient for taking home or serving. The place was crowded, even outdoors, which could make some people feel uneasy. I managed to find a seat at the edge and enjoyed my time. It might be nice to visit when it's not peak autumn season for a more leisurely experience.

Visited the "Eikando Mikae Chaya" located within Eikando Temple in Kyoto City. It is a resting place inside Eikando Temple. The atmosphere is excellent, overlooking the beautiful autumn leaves of Eikando Temple while enjoying matcha and dango. Despite the long queue due to the autumn foliage season, it was a luxurious experience.

After enjoying the autumn leaves at Eikando Temple, I took a break here. Fortunately, there are no foreign tourists at the moment, so I can relax and enjoy the scenery slowly. The place is almost full, and the staff seems busy. However, the distance between customers is well maintained, and there is no need to worry about ventilation as it is outdoors (laughs). I had a matcha set and sweet sake (each @600 yen), then slowly moved to the restaurant in Shijo-Karasuma where I have a reservation.

Teahouse located in Eikando at Zenrin-ji Temple. The surrounding scenery is amazing. We needed to head to the airport soon, but my father really liked it and we enjoyed tea and the autumn leaves until the very last moment. The taste wasn't particularly impressive, but I was greatly healed by the scenery unique to Kyoto in autumn.

I visited this restaurant on a holiday in November 2019. The restaurant is located in the garden of Eikando Temple, which is famous for its autumn leaves. There were some slightly green maple leaves, but overall it was close to the best viewing time, and the weather was sunny and not too cold, just right. You can sit freely at a table, and when you're ready to order, you call a waiter. I don't usually eat Japanese sweets, but I really like warabi mochi. It was deliciously chewy and soft. The prices are a bit high due to being in a tourist area, but it's nice that tea is included. The mitarashi dango was just average in taste. However, having tea time surrounded by autumn leaves was very pleasant.

In December 2018, after having breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, I walked about 2km to Eikando Temple and arrived around 10:30 am. Although the autumn leaves were mostly gone by this time, I edited the colors of the photos to make it look more autumn-like. After visiting the temple and receiving a temple stamp, I took a break at the tea house "Mikaeri Chaya" in front of the Hojo Pond. I ordered sweet sake for 600 yen, which seemed a bit pricey, but it had a nice balance of ginger and sweetness, and was quite delicious. The portion was generous, and I enjoyed a relaxing break. Thank you for the meal.

On December 9, I had breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, located by the Kamo River, and for the first time this year I wore a down jacket to explore the end of autumn in Kyoto. I walked straight east from the hotel for 2.3km towards Eikan-do and Nanzen-ji temples at the foot of Higashiyama. Along the way, I stopped at a bakery to get a Christmas limited edition bread called Stollen. I arrived at Eikan-do around 10:30 AM. As expected, the autumn leaves were almost gone, with dry leaves covering the ground, but the remaining leaves here and there still had a charming atmosphere. The light-up event had ended a week ago, marking the end of the autumn leaf season, so there were fewer tourists and I could leisurely stroll around the temple grounds. I took a break at the Mikaeri Teahouse in front of the Hojo Pond. Sitting on a long bench surrounded by red umbrellas and a red carpet outside, it felt like a scene from a movie and was very relaxing. Despite the low temperature, the sun was shining and it was getting warmer. I ordered a sweet red bean soup called Zenzai for 600 yen (tax included), while my friend chose the same-priced Amazake. The hot tea was served in a teapot, and pouring it into a small cup, it was scalding hot! In less than 5 minutes, the Zenzai arrived, and the warm sweet soup with cute round mochi balls was a perfect treat for my tired body. The mochi stretched beautifully, and having Zenzai with mochi in this location was simply the best. Next, I walked 800m south from the Waiwai no Komichi path and headed towards Nanzen-ji temple through the South Gate. The autumn leaves around the Sanmon Gate of Nanzen-ji were almost gone, but there were still a few left over the Lake Biwa Canal, looking beautiful against the red brick aqueduct. I had already made a reservation for an Italian full course meal at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto's restaurant at 1 PM, so I decided to walk back the same way I came. Bon appétit!

This is a tea shop inside Eikan-do. When I ordered matcha, I was surprised to find that it came with Ajari mochi! I had bought some the day before but hadn't opened it yet, so this was my first time trying it. The outer layer was chewy and delicious. It went perfectly with the matcha. On the third day of our whirlwind Kyoto trip, November 18th, Saturday, we visited Eikan-do and Nanzen-ji. Eikan-do (Zenrin-ji) is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Shingon Buddhism. It is said to have been founded in 863 by Emperor Seiwa, who granted permission for its construction and bestowed the name Zenrin-ji. While the maple leaves in the north at Kibune weren't very colorful, I was amazed by the beautiful autumn leaves at Eikan-do in Higashiyama. MyRebi-san had told me that the leaves at Eikan-do were starting to change color, and she was right. Thank you very much. At my husband's suggestion, we also decided to see the light-up at night, so we visited again the next evening.

In Kyoto in autumn, I was able to eat Matsukawa crab, so on this day I arrived in Kyoto early for dinner, so I had lunch early and went to see the autumn leaves. When it comes to autumn leaves, one that comes to mind is the "Momiji of Eikando" which was also mentioned in the Kokin Wakashu. It's a bit inconvenient to get to, but it's easy to get there by taxi from the Ritz-Carlton. So, I first visited here. The autumn leaves in Kyoto in 2018 were said to be lacking in cold weather, but there are still beautiful spots depending on the location, and when combined with the temple views, it truly has an elegant atmosphere. Another highlight of Eikando is the statue of Amida Nyorai known as the "Mikaeri Amida." The figure standing with its head down to the left rear is truly captivating and mesmerizes many people. And, of course, we must not forget the dumplings! Yes, the tea house called "Mikaeri Chaya" is located within the precincts. Moreover, the location of the tea house is by the pond in the garden, offering the best view of the autumn leaves reflected in the pond and the view of the Tahoto Pagoda. There are benches placed in a location that makes everyone want to stop and take a break, but there are signs everywhere saying not to stop and take pictures at this location, so it seems best to relax while enjoying tea and sweets inside the tea house (photography from your seat seems to be okay). I had a matcha set (600 yen) and there were tea dumplings as well, but I restrained myself from getting the set of three for dinner and opted for the matcha set. To my delight, there were my favorite "Ajari mochi" sweets. I used to always buy Ajari mochi whenever I went to Kyoto, but now I can buy it at a department store in Nagoya anytime, so I don't buy it as a souvenir from Kyoto anymore, but it's a sweet that I buy at the department store quite often, so I'm super happy. It tastes even better when eaten in this scenery. The matcha also tastes delicious. After drinking the matcha, they even served hojicha in a teapot as a service. There was also zenzai, mitarashi dango, amazake, and warabi mochi, and the hojicha was a generous service. Such a great tea house in such a location! If it weren't for the dinner event, I would want to eat tarafuku here! Both the Mikaeri Amida and the Mikaeri Chaya left a lasting impression.

Let's go to Mikae-ri Teahouse! ＼(^o^)／ Take a break at Mikae-ri Teahouse located inside the beautiful Eikando temple! How elegant! Truly Kyoto! Let's enjoy some tea dumplings and matcha! It's so classy to enjoy the autumn leaves like this! I wonder if people in the past used to have tea while admiring the autumn colors like this. How wonderful! Cinderella with a weakness for dumplings! The red bean paste is so generous, I'm completely satisfied! It's a blissful moment to relax and enjoy. Autumn in Kyoto is truly the best! ＼(^o^)／ If you have time, come visit Princess Cinderella's blog too! ❤️

The warm oshiruko I have during the night visit is comforting. I always eat it when I go for a night visit.

The dumplings and matcha tea I enjoyed along with the scenery made it even more delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Amazake~