The precincts of Nanzen-ji are a nationally designated Historic Site and the Hōjō gardens a Place of Scenic Beauty.

Nanzen-ji is not itself considered one of the "five great Zen temples of Kyoto"; however, it does play an important role in the "Five Mountain System" which was modified from Chinese roots.

Tenryū-ji (天龍寺, Tenryū-ji) is considered to be one of the so-called Kyoto Gozan (京都五山, Kyōto gozan) or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto", along with Shōkoku-ji (相国寺, Shōkoku-ji), Kennin-ji (建仁寺, Kennin-ji), Tōfuku-ji (東福寺, Tōfuku-ji), and Manju-ji (満寿寺, Manju-ji).

[5] After the completion of Shōkoku-ji by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1386, a new ranking system was created with Nanzen-ji at the top and in a class of its own.

[7] The gate contains stairs to an elevated viewing area, which was the setting for a famous scene in the 1778 Kabuki play Sanmon Gosan no Kiri[8] inspired by the story of the criminal Ishikawa Goemon who is said to have spoken of the beauty of the view (but who was executed prior to the construction of the current gate).