The autumn-leaf illuminations draw the biggest crowds of any Kyoto evening. Admission usually closes somewhere in the eight o'clock hour, though, which leaves the rest of the night open.
Tired from walking and cold from standing, where do you go next? Here is how to choose a second venue that avoids the crush and lets you settle.
Work back from when the illumination closes
At many Kyoto temples and shrines the autumn illuminations stop admitting at 8pm or 8:30pm and close the gates around 9pm. You have to plan to the last admission, not the closing time.
If you are eating afterwards, secure somewhere whose last orders fall after 9pm. On an autumn weekend the places you can walk into without booking thin out fast.
- Check last admission and gate closing separately
- Secure last orders after 9pm
- Don't search unbooked at the weekend
Getting around takes longer than usual in autumn
The moment admission ends, a great many people head for the stations and bus stops at once. A ten-minute walk can take twenty, and buses leave people behind.
From the Higashiyama side, walking to a Keihan station and taking the train is the more predictable move. Taxis are hard to catch outside the temple gates; walking out to a main road is often quicker.
Once you are cold, choose somewhere that works entirely indoors
Late November in Kyoto drops into single figures after dark. A venue you can sit down in straight away suits better than one that assumes a long wait outside.
If you are carrying a lot, check whether there is somewhere to put it. Holding a coat and an umbrella for hours is more tiring than you would expect.
Something beyond talking makes the evening stick
What you thought of the leaves can be said in the first half-hour of the second venue. With darts or simulation golf, something physical to do, the time keeps moving after that.
Not everyone has to join in. Where those playing and those sitting with a drink share the same room, a difference in how tired people are does not split the group.
- Somewhere to sit down and rest immediately
- A place for bags and coats
- Something to do besides talk
A second venue in Gion on an autumn evening
Gion Country Club is an indoor golf and bar lounge three minutes on foot from Gion-Shijo Station, open from 5pm until 5am. It is a Keihan ride from the autumn-leaf spots of Higashiyama.
Simulation golf, the bar, darts and karaoke share one space, so the hours after your temple visit stay indoors. We are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Frequently asked questions
Is anywhere open after the autumn illuminations?
Indoor venues open late. Gion Country Club is open until 5am.
Should we book during the autumn season?
Weekends and public holidays are especially busy. We would recommend booking once your numbers and start time are set.
Can we enjoy it if we are worn out from walking?
You can spend the time seated on the sofas. Use of the bar alone, without playing, is also fine.
