Kennin-ji

The temple sits just off the Gion entertainment district, but the noise drops away as soon as you pass through the gate. Admission is 800 yen for adults and 500 yen for students. Morning visits tend to be quieter, though the grounds are wide enough that even school groups don't cause bottlenecks.

The main draw inside the Hatto (Lecture Hall) is the twin-dragon ceiling painting, completed in 2002 for the temple's 800th anniversary. It covers the entire ceiling and the scale genuinely surprises people. A reproduction of the Fujin Raijin folding screen is also on display, and being able to stand close and study the brushwork is one of the advantages of seeing a copy.