Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine is the head shrine of Tenmangu Shrine and Tenjin Shrines, which number approximately 12,000 throughout Japan, and is popularly known as "Kitano Tenjin-sama" (the God of Heaven in Kitano). The shrine's deity, Sugawara Michizane, is revered as the god of learning.
The maple garden on the west side of the temple grounds consists of a natural forest and a part of the "Godoi," an earthen mound built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a feudal lord of the Edo period. About 350 maple trees are in full autumn color, and the view of the surface of the Kamiya River, which runs north-south through the garden, dyed red is breathtaking.

It is said to be one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto, and there is a record of the repair of the shrine's tamagaki (stone wall) in 90 B.C.
The Tadasunomori forest, which stretches across the shrine grounds, is shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere, with maple trees and zelkova and other trees turning the forest red and yellow. The best time to view the leaves is relatively late, from early to mid-December, allowing visitors to enjoy the autumn colors in a relaxed atmosphere.

The castle was built in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Shogunate, and has appeared on numerous occasions in history, including in 1867 when the 15th shogun, Yoshinobu Yoshinobu, announced his intention to return to power in the form of the Great Restoration in the palace. The Ninomaru Palace, a national treasure, is home to approximately 3,600 paintings by the Kano school, and its luxurious and gorgeous space is overwhelming. It is also famous for its autumn foliage, with a variety of trees, including ginkgo and maple, turning beautiful colors.