How long do temple visits take

Hi everyone,

I've never visited an Asian temple before, so wondering how long the visits take? Of course it depends on the temple, but on average? Would prefer not to be too rushed, enjoy the scene.

So far in Kyoto I plan to see:
Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Pavilion)
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion)
Ninna-ji Temple
toji temple
Shoren-in Temple
Nijo Castle
Imperial Palace
Kyoto Tower

On one day I was going to do:
(10am start) Nishiki Market to Gion to Yasaka Shrine to shorein temple to higashiyamo streets to kitomizudera temple. All by walking.
will that be possible in one day considering temples close around 5pm?

I'm going in mid feb 2015

thank you

It differs widely not only on the temple but also the traveler. I have taken different friends to the same temple. One ran through in 5 minutes while another read every plate, sat down here and there and spent almost an hour.

Ginkaku-ji: typically 15-60 minutes
Kiyomizu-dera Temple: typically 15-60 minutes
Kinkaku-ji: typically 10-45 minutes
Ninna-ji Temple: typically 20-90 minutes depending on how much you go to see
toji temple: typically 10-45 minutes
Shoren-in Temple: typically 15-60 minutes
Nijo Castle: typically 30-150 minutes depening on how much you go to see
Imperial Palace: the guided tours take 60 minutes; the entire park around it requires more time to see
Kyoto Tower: typically 10-30 minutes

I'm with Uji-san on this, it is very personal. Over the years I have slowed down considerably, I went from wanting to visit as many locations, hurrying from one stop to the other, to somebody who now visits fewer sites and spends a lot longer at each site, just soaking in the atmosphere and taking time to compose photos. And sometimes the greatest reward comes at a small, unknown temple when you actually get to chat with a monk, or so.

For my 2 cents worth, Kyoto Tower: 0 minutes :-)

Agreed. The temples dont take much time but the precincts can be pretty awesome. Our favorite is Kiyomizudera - we will go through the temple precinct (usually about an hour or so depending on whether you line up to get some water and do the underground thing) but then we can spend a half a day going through the general area, and then have the walk back to Gion which takes about another 2 hours depending how long we stop in the Ghibli shop and the pottery stores. and then we will come back and do it again a day or two later.

Golden Temple is similar. You dont even get inside the temple itself, but a walk through the grounds, an icecream or dango, then okonomiyaki at the shop just down the road takes up a few hours. Or silver temple - probably 45 mins to walk through the precinct, but then the walk down philosophers path to Nanzenji takes an hour plus.

I look at temples as being a starting place rather than the destination.

I wouldnt recommend Nishiki markets at all. The markets are all the same, IMO, though they'd be OK if you were a mad shopper I suppose.

Thanks everyone :)
Unfortunately for me my brother whom I'm going with, likes to read every single sign and explore everything. Whilst I like to have a look around, take nice pictures and move along hahaha

Thanks very much for the breakdown Uji, very helpful.

Lazy pious, please elaborate as to where this Ghibli shop is! My boyfriend LOVES studio ghibli and Miyazaki, would be awesome if I can get him something unique from Japan.

you can find a map on this blog: http://anutshellreview.blogspot.hk/2009/10/studio-ghibli-shop-in-kyoto...

In Japan it gets dark very early in winter time. You had better start much, much earlier than 10. Most temple grounds are always open.

Most temple grounds are always open

... except the famous temples of Kyoto, which typically open from around 8:00 to around 17:00. Kiyomizudera from 6:00.

I also recommend starting before 10am.

Thanks for that map :)

I was planning to get to nishiki markrt at 10am because I read that most stores open around 9-10am?