Garden sights in Kyoto
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Manshu-in
About 30 minutes’ walk north of Shisen-dō you’ll reach the stately gate of Manshu-in, a popular retreat of former emperors and a great escape from the crowds. The temple was originally founded by Saichō on Hiei-zan but was relocated here at the beginning of the Edo period by Ryōshōhō, the son of Prince Hachijōnomiya Tomohito (who built Katsura Rikyū). The graceful temple architecture is often compared with Katsura Rikyū for its detailed woodwork and rare works of art, such as fusuma-e sliding doors painted by Kanō Eitoku, a famed artist of the Momoyama period. The karesansui garden by Kobori Enshū features a sea of gravel intended to symbolise the flow of a w…
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Jizō-In
This delightful little temple could be called the ‘poor man’s Saihō-ji’. It’s only a few minutes’ walk south of Saihō-ji in the same atmospheric bamboo groves. While the temple does not boast any spectacular buildings or treasures, it has a nice moss garden and is almost completely ignored by tourists, making it a great place to sit and contemplate. From the parking lot near Saihō-ji, there is a small stone staircase that climbs to the road leading to Jizō-in (it helps to ask someone to point the way, as it’s not entirely clear).
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Shōsei-en
About five minutes’ walk east of Higashi Hongan-ji, this garden is a nice green island in a vast expanse of concrete. While it’s not on par with many other gardens in Kyoto, it’s worth a visit if you find yourself in need of something to do near the station, perhaps paired with a visit to the temple. The lovely grounds, incorporating the Kikoku-tei villa, were completed in 1657. Bring a picnic (and some bread to feed the carp) or just stroll around the beautiful Ingetsu-ike pond.
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Zuihō-in
Another subtemple of Daitoku-ji, Zuihō-in enshrines the 16th-century Christian daimyō (domain lord) Ōtomo Sōrin. In the early 1960s, a landscape architect named Shigemori Misuzu rearranged the stones in the back rock garden into the shape of a crucifix! More interesting is the main rock garden, which is raked into appealing patterns that remind one of water ripples. It’s roughly in the middle of the complex; once again, you may have to ask for directions.
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Obai-in
If you are lucky enough to be in Kyoto during autumn when this subtemple of Daitoku-ji is opened to the public, then you should make an effort to visit. The subtemple is a world of interlinked gardens, including an incredibly rich moss garden and a starkly simple karesansui. Along with nearby Kōtō-in, we rank this as one of the finest gardens in Kyoto. When you enter the Daitoku-ji complex via the east (main) gate, it’s on the left.
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Kōtō-in
On the far western edge of the Daitoku-ji complex (you may have to ask directions to find it), this sublime garden is one of the best in all Kyoto and it’s worth a special trip. It’s located within a fine bamboo grove that you traverse via a moss-lined path. Once inside there is a small stroll garden which leads to the centrepiece: a rectangle of moss and maple trees, backed by bamboo. Take some time on the veranda here to soak it all up.
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Daisen-in
The two small Zen gardens in this subtemple of Daitoku-ji are elegant examples of 17th-century karesansui (dry-landscape rock garden) style. Here the trees, rocks and sand are said to represent and express various spectacles of nature, from waterfalls and valleys to mountain lakes. It’s one of the more popular subtemples here, but not as rewarding as Kōtō-in or Obai-in.
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Ryōgen-in
Ryōgen-in is yet another fine subtemple in the Daitoku-ji complex. It’s got two pleasing gardens, one moss and one karesansui. The karesansui has an interesting island in its midst that invites lazy contemplation. When you enter the Daitoku-ji complex via the east (main) gate, it’s on the left, just before Obai-in.
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Reikan-ji
Only open to the public in spring and autumn, Reikan-ji is one of Kyoto’s great lesser-visited attractions. During the spring opening, you will find the grounds positively rioting with camellia. In autumn, the brilliant reds of the maples will dazzle the eye. The small collection of artworks in the main building is almost as good as the colours outside.
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Nanzen-in
This subtemple of Nanzen-ji is up the steps after you pass under the aqueduct. It has an attractive garden designed around a heart-shaped pond. This garden is best seen in the morning or around noon, when sunlight shines directly into the pond and illuminates the colourful carp.
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Jikkō-in
Only about 50m north of Sanzen-in, this small temple is often praised for its lovely garden and fudan-zakura cherry tree, which blossoms between October and March. Jikkō-in is worth the visit if you want to escape the crowds that often plague Sanzen-in.
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Hōmotsukan Treasure House
The Hōmotsukan Treasure House contains the original temple bell and door paintings and the original phoenix roof adornments. Allow about an hour to wander through the grounds.
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