If you’re looking for a short but worthwhile stop while traveling in Kyoto, you might want to try traveling outside the center of the historic city to the truly breathtaking Rengeji Temple.

This rather small temple was transferred to its current location in the year 1662, during the beginning of the Edo Period. It has since continued to stand as one of Japan’s most underestimated tourist destinations, and exudes as much cultural and historical eminence as the larger and more popular temples in Kyoto.

Though it’s more widely recognized for its picturesque landscape during the fall season, its gardens transform into a forest of lush green during the spring and summer, making it an ideal escape from the city crowds on a hot day.

With two gardens and a small pond, Rengeji Temple is most breathtaking when viewed from the inside the drawing room of the main building. Since the temple is not very widely known to tourists, you will be able to revel in its natural beauty in peace and quiet, as if completely secluded from the rest of the world.

Throughout the temple grounds stand stone lanterns, adding to the harmonious atmosphere of the location. While the small scale of the temple makes it an ideal quick stop, its graceful beauty might make you want to spend an entire day there to recharge and relax.