SunsetVue
Sign inGet started

Photo locations · Kyoto · Japan

Kiyomizu-dera Terrace: sunrise photography forecast

Kiyomizu-dera’s terrace looks across a wooded hillside toward Kyoto, with the pagoda and city changing position as you move through the temple route. It is a public temple visit first and a tripod location second.

Will tomorrow's sunrise be worth it?

Simplified forecast from the open model run. The full forecast — a second model, your exact viewpoint, the hourly cloud timeline — is in the app.

Global model, about 13 km: less certain than in Europe.

Golden-hour light will be flat and grey.

in 10h 55m

Heavy haze

Exactly at sunrise: Fair

Harsh directional light · backlit landscapes; harsh for portraits

Useful cloud texture gives the local scene visible depth.

High confidence · event-time scene

Sky colors

Golden hour
Sunrise

Light corridor

Viewer's line of sight, tangent to the Earth at your locationNear-ground relative humidity11% cover — too thin to draw as cloudConnected cloud layer · 0–41% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintylow cloud · 59% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 59% is somewhere between 0.03 and 3 kmlow cloud · 51% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 51% is somewhere between 0.12 and 3 kmlow cloud · 40% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 40% is somewhere between 0.14 and 3 kmlow cloud · 52% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 52% is somewhere between 0.28 and 3 kmlow cloud · 47% reported, 32% resolved on a pressure surface — 15% is somewhere between 0.43 and 3 kmlow cloud · 67% reported, 41% resolved on a pressure surface — 26% is somewhere between 0.07 and 3 km50 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch orange light100 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light

-5 km

Behind you

5/8L 59 · M 0 · H 099%—

Your location

120 m asl

4/8L 51 · M 0 · H 098%—

5 km

Nearby

3/8L 40 · M 0 · H 096%—

20 km

Near horizon

4/8L 52 · M 0 · H 098%—

50 km

Light path

4/8L 47 · M 0 · H 092%—

100 km

Light path

5/8L 67 · M 0 · H 088%—

150 km

Far light path

4/8L 49 · M 0 · H 078%—

200 km

Far light path

5/8L 56 · M 0 · H 1186%—

300 km

Far light path

1/8L 0 · M 0 · H 1577%—

350 km

Far light path

3/8L 32 · M 0 · H 1673%—
cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud

Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.

Clouds: Almost no clouds

Almost no clouds above you — expect a clean but pale horizon glow rather than a red sky.

Most cloud is concentrated in one height band, so the scene has limited vertical separation.

Broken low cloud (50%) — expect the light to come and go.

Corridor partly open

Partial cloud at the light ray's height along the path (30%) — some light may get through, but the path is not open.

Sun likely hidden. Low cloud fills the horizon (67%) — the sun will probably stay behind it.

Best colour

05:52

in 10h 48m

05:42–06:32, look east · brief, colour behind you too

Crystal-clear dry air — strong color but hard-edged shadows; tough for portraits.

Clarity: Reduced

High humidity (98%) may soften and mute colors.

Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.

Know the light
before it happens

€3.33 /month

Billed annually — €39.99

Try 14 days free

Card required, nothing charged for 14 days. Cancel any time in the trial and you pay nothing at all. EU/EEA consumers: see the right-of-withdrawal section in our Terms.

For photographers: shooting Kiyomizu-dera Terrace

Best months

Late March to early April for blossom and mid-to-late November for autumn colour. Seasonal evening illuminations create the rare blue-hour opportunity.

Suggested focal lengths

24–70 mm for terrace and hillside; 70–200 mm for pagoda, city and layered foliage.

Composition

Use the temple architecture to frame rather than trying to show the entire crowd. Longer focal lengths isolate the pagoda among blossom or maple leaves.

Recommended arrival

Be at the entrance before opening for normal morning access. For special evening openings, arrive well before the admission period and expect queues.

Access planning

Opening hours and special illuminations are seasonal. Tripods may be impractical or restricted; follow staff instructions and keep visitor routes open.

Parking: No convenient temple parking; use public transport or a taxi to the lower Higashiyama area.

Approach: A 15–25 minute uphill walk through busy streets from the nearest bus stops, followed by the temple route.

Other photo locations