Jogyesa Temple Lantern Display

Jogyesa is the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Seon Buddhism, located at 55 Ujeongguk-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The temple courtyard holds the main hall, a tall old tree and, around Buddha's Birthday in late April to mid-May, thousands of lotus lanterns hung overhead in bright colours. The main frames include the lantern canopy looking upward, the painted main hall with lanterns in front and the courtyard with visitors and monks in the background. Morning light suits the main hall and its painted eaves, while evening gives the best lantern illumination when the lights come on around dusk. The lantern display is the most photographed period and the busiest, and weekends and the days around the festival draw large crowds, so weekday mornings are calmer. Autumn foliage also adds colour to the courtyard. A wide-angle lens helps capture the lantern ceilings, while a standard zoom handles the hall and details. The temple is an active place of worship, so visitors should be respectful, avoid flash inside the hall, keep voices low and avoid photographing worshippers closely without permission. Tripods are not appropriate in the busy courtyard and may block worshippers, so handheld shooting is expected. Drones are restricted in central Seoul and inappropriate over a temple. Entry is free and the temple is open 04:00 to 21:00 daily. Anguk Station on Line 3, Exit 6, is about five minutes on foot, and the approach is on flat paved streets. The courtyard is level, with steps into the halls, and restrooms and water are available on the temple grounds and in nearby Insadong.