Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple Coloring Pages

Kyoto’s Most Popular Autumn Leaves Spot

Tofukuji Temple is a big temple in Kyoto City.
When autumn comes, the maple trees all over the valley turn red and yellow. It becomes one of the most popular autumn leaves spots in Kyoto.
Along with Kiyomizudera Temple and Kinkakuji Temple, it is a place you must see in Kyoto during autumn.
During the autumn leaves season, many people line up from the morning to get a look at the beautiful view.

A Covered Bridge Crossing the Valley

Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple is a wooden bridge with a roof that crosses a valley inside the temple grounds.
It is a bridge like a hallway that connects the Main Hall to a hall called Kaisando.
The valley under the bridge is called Sengyokan, and maple trees are planted all over it.
In autumn, when you look down from the bridge, the red and yellow leaves spread out just like a sea of clouds.

3 Coloring Pages

The 1st picture shows just Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple. You can clearly see the roof tiles, the handrails, and how the wooden pillars under the bridge fit together.
The 2nd picture is a side view of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple. The long bridge looks like it is floating above the valley trees.
The 3rd picture is a detailed drawing of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple surrounded by autumn leaves, with the big hall behind it.
Each maple leaf is drawn one by one, so grown-ups can take their time and enjoy coloring it too.

Let's Go Autumn Leaves Hunting

Going out to see the autumn leaves is called Momijigari (autumn leaves hunting).
We also have a Momijigari coloring page, so try coloring that one too.
The best time to see the autumn leaves in Kyoto is from mid to late November.

A Zen Temple

Tofukuji Temple was built about 800 years ago in the Kamakura period. It is a temple of the Zen teaching.
On the spacious temple grounds, there are many great things to see. You can see a huge main gate, the Main Hall, and gardens made of stones and sand that show mountains and seas.
Among them, the checkerboard garden made of square moss and stones is very famous.
Take your time to enjoy the quiet views of the Zen temple, not just the autumn leaves.
The main gate of Tofukuji Temple is the oldest Zen temple gate in Japan, and it is a National Treasure.
When you look up at the huge gate, you will be amazed at how grand it is.

Maples Are Red, Orange, and Yellow

For the maples around Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple, color each group of leaves using red, orange, and yellow.
If you use dark red and light red, your autumn leaves will look deep and real!
Leaving a little green here and there makes the autumn colors look even brighter.

The Bridge Is Dark Brown and Gray

Color the posts and handrails of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple in dark brown.
Color the roof tiles gray. Draw a little dark gray along the lines of the tiles to make it look like a real roof!
If you make the posts under the bridge darker in the back, the valley will look deep.

Color the Second Picture Like Green Maples

If you color the second picture of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple with green and yellow-green trees, it will look like the green maples of spring and summer!
Tofukuji Temple is famous not just for autumn leaves, but also for its fresh green maples.
It is fun to put the third picture for autumn and the second picture for early summer side by side!

Color the Sky Softly

Color the sky softly with light blue. Leave the clouds white!
When the red and yellow maples sit next to the blue sky, it looks like a nice, clear autumn sky.

The Temple Roof Uses Two Grays

For the big temple building in the back of the third picture, color the roof dark gray and the under-roof ocher to make it look grand and strong!
If you make it a bit darker than the roof of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple, you can easily tell what is in front and what is in back.

A bridge built over 600 years ago

The story of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple began way back in 1380, over 600 years ago, when a Buddhist monk built it.
It was rebuilt many times after that to become the bridge you see today.

"Tsuten Maples" with leaves split into three parts

At Tofukuji Temple, there are special maple trees called Tsuten Maples.
People say the monk who opened Tofukuji Temple brought these trees back from China.
Normal maple leaves spread out like a hand into 5 or 7 points, but Tsuten Maple leaves split into just 3 parts, and they shine like gold in autumn!

Another bridge to look at the main bridge

Down the river from Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple, there is another bridge called Gaiunkyo Bridge.
From this bridge, you can look across the autumn leaves and see Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple.
Just like in the second coloring page, you can enjoy the view of Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple from the side!

You cannot stop on the bridge during autumn leaf season

When the leaves are at their prettiest, Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple gets so crowded that you cannot even stop to take a photo!
If you want to take your time and look around, visiting early in the morning is a great idea.