Shisen-do is a delightful little temple in the northern part of the Higashi-yama mountains.
The temple name is Rokuroku-zan, Shisen-do Jozan-ji, of the Soto sect of Buddhism. It was originally a residence built-in 1641 by Jozan Ishikawa, an attendant to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Jozan was a man of culture and a tea master. He also knew how to use a sword.
This is one of the great gardens which use shaped azaleas rather than rocks. It is also a stroll, from the house down thru the garden on stairs and paths.
The rural town of Kurama is located at a distance of about an hour from the Kyoto city center in the northern mountains. Kurama, as a tourist destination, is popular because of its temple Kurama-dera and its hot spring and its hot spring. In fact, the hot spring at Kurama is the most easily accessible hot springs from Kyoto.
Byōdō-in Temple is one of the few surviving examples of Heian era (794-1185) architecture left in Japan. Byodo.in was originally a private residence, like most Japanese temples. It was converted into a temple by a member of the Fujiwara clan in 1052. The Phoenix Hall was added in 1053 to house the Amida Buddha image.
Daisen-in, a subtemple of Daitoku-ji was founded in 1509 by Zen priest Kogaku Soko1464-1548. The gardens date from about that time and may have been designed by Kogaku or perhaps by the painter Soami, who did the landscape paintings in the main hall. The garden is a miniature landscape with mountains, waterfalls and river and wraps entirely around the main hall, hojo.
Korin-in, a sub-temple of Daitoku-ji, was founded by Yoshifusa Hatekeyama, a warlord of the Noto, now Ishikawa, Prefecture, in 1521-1623. The hojo main building and other elements are in the Muromachi style. It has a famous tea room, Kankyo-tei, and a dry garden. Korin-in is normally closed except for a couple of times each year.
Priest Honen (1133-1212) left Hieizan Enryaku-ji and established Jodo-shu Sect of Buddhism in 1175. He lived in Higashiyama-Yoshimizu, where Chion-in, the head temple of Jodo-shu sect, was built later. He had a thatched hut in Shishigatani that evolved to be Honen-in temple years later.
Kote-in Temple is one of the sub-temples of the Daitokuji Temple. It is a temple of the Hosokawa It was built by Tadaoki Hosokawa, 1603-1867.
Zuiho-in is a subtemple of Daitoku-ji in Kyoto. It was founded in 1546 by Sorin Otomo, a daimyo who later converted to Christianity. The current gardens were designed by Merei Shigemori in 1961, and the smaller north garden has a rock arrangement in the shape of a cross as a memorial to Sorin. The temple became associated with the tea masters Sen no Rikyu and Kobori Enshu ,also a great garden designer.
Temple of the Golden Pavilion is the popular name of Rokuon-ji, Deer Park Temple, a temple dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Kannon. The land was first a mountain getaway for Saionji Kitsune, 1171-1244 and included both a temple and a villa. The estate withered away and became the property of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu 1358-1408, the third shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, who built Kitayamaden as a retirement estate in 1398. After his death in 1419, the grounds were turned into a Buddhist temple for the Rinzai sect and Muso Kokushi was appointed abbot as per Yoshimitsu’s will. The name Rokuon comes from Yoshimitsu’s Buddhist name.
Founded in 794 when emperor Kanmu moved the capital from Nara to Kyoto, and was thus one of the earliest Buddhist temple. Toji literally means “East Temple”, notwithstanding its location in the South-West corner of Kyoto. There once was a Sai-ji or “West Temple”, and both temples stood alongside the Rasho-mon Gate, Kyoto’s biggest and most famous gate during the Heian period 794-1185. In 818, the emperor Saga confided the temple to the Buddhist priest Kukai 774-835, also known as Kobo Daishi, founder of the esoteric Shingon sect. To-ji’s formal name, Kyo-o Gokoku-ji, means “protector of the nation”. It’s five-tiered pagoda is 57m tall, making it the highest wooden tower in Japan. It was last built in 1643 after having burned five times. Kobo-san market is held on the temple’s premises on the 21st of each month.
Taizo-in is a small Zen Buddhism temple located in northwestern Kyoto on the quiet and spacious grounds of Myoshin-ji. The area is surrounded by temples that belong to Kyoto’s World Heritage site, including the Golden Pavilion, and is not far from the scenic mountains and rivers of Arashiyama.
Kinkaku-ji, Temple of the Golden Pavilion is the popular name of Kiyomizudera ,”Pure Water Temple” is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 and remains associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest sects within Japanese Buddhism. Kiyomizudera stands in the wooded hills of eastern Kyoto and offers visitors a nice view over the city from its famous wooden terrace. Below the terrace, you can taste the spring water, which gives the temple its name and which is said to have healing power. Behind Kyomizudera’s main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love. In front of the shrine are two rocks, placed several meters apart from each other. Successfully walking from one to the other rock with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in your love live.
Temple of the Silver Pavilion is the more common name for Jisho-ji, a temple belonging to the Shokoku School of the Rinzai Zen sect of Buddhism. Ginkaku-ji was not originally a temple. Ashikaga Yoshimasa, 1436-1490, the 8th Ashikaga Shogun and grandson of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, constructor of Kinkaku-ji, the temple of the golden pavilion began construction in 1460 but was prevented from immediately completing his retirement villa due to the Onin Wars, 1467-1477.
Zenrin-ji is the head temple of Jodo-shu Seizan Zenrin-ji sect. The temple has more than 1,100 years of history and is dedicated to Amida. Due to a merciful pose of Mikaeri Amida (Amitabha looking back), the temple attracts many believers and people through the world. The temple is also well-known as “Eikando in maple leaves”, because of its beautiful garden filled with many maple trees.
Temple’s principal image of Buddha, Shijoko Nyorai, is on public display for the first time since the late Heian period, 794-1192, when the temple was built. The Buddha image is said to bring good to the world and ward off evil by emitting brilliant rays or light. Thousands of Led lights illuminate the temple’s mossy arden, simulating the cosmos. A blue searchlight was beamed into the sky to further spread the power of the Buddha image. The temple will also hold a series of talks between the temple’s chief abbot and representatives of cultural and economic circles.
The area of Kyoto known as Nanzenji has the honor of being home to the famous Zen temple that gives it its name, as well as to the graceful brick aqueducts that carry water from Lake Biwa into the city. Before it was designated a temple in 1291, Nanzenji had been the site of the villa of the retired emperor Kameyama, 1249-1304. Nestled in the shade of Hidashi-yama, the Eastern Hills, the temple and its environs are lush with greenery, private estates and several notable gardens, of which Murin’an is one a place of politics past and gracious early-twentieth-century living. And tucked into the hills behind the Nanzenji temple complex is one of Kyoto’s most charming shrines, Himukai Daijingu.
Began with a single structure built by Saicho, 767-822: founder of the Tendai sect, on Mt. Hiei. It was transferred to its present site in 1656. Manshu-in is a monzeki temple which means the post of head priest was always taken by a member of the imperial family. The Main Hall Shoin, Study and priests’ living quarters are all Important Cultural Properties. Paintings on the inner sliding doors are by Kano Tanyu, 1602-1674 and the dry landscape garden is a Place of Scenic Beauty. The painting of the Ki-Fudo,Yellow Fudo: Acala is one of three such celebrated works. This is a copy of an original painted in the 9th century. It was said a golden Fudo appeared before a priest undergoing ascetic training on Mt. Hiei. He had the image painted.
The temple was built by the widow to Hideyoshi, warlord. Gold-relief lacquerware called Maki-e is exhibitied here.The origin of this temple lie in the volatile Momoyama,16th century period. Nene, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, built Kodaiji and the North Garden, Kita-teien at Fushimi castle for her husband. When he died, the garden was transferred to Kyoto from Fushimi. Construction of the temple, Kodai-in, began in 1603 with some garden work being done two years later. The name was changed to Kodaiji in 1606. Entokuin, built in 1627, is actually a subtemple of the Kodaiji complex, located across the street. The narrow street that passes between Entokuin and Kodaiji is still called Nene Street.
A Shingon sect temple appearing in Heike Monogatari (Tale of the Heike). Gio was in love with Taira-no-Kiyomori a chieftain of the Taira, Heike family. Spurned by him Gio and her sister Ginyo devoted their lives to Buddha here. The principal image is of Dainichi Nyorai the supreme being in Esoteric Buddhism and the deification of sunlight. Also found here are wooden statues of Taira-no-Kiyomori Gio Ginyo and others. The stone gorin-to, stupa of 5 elements representing earth water fire wind air is said to be the grave of Taira-no-Kiyomori. Gio and Ginyo are enshrined at the hokyo-in. This is the stone pagoda with ear-shaped projections from the corners of the roof.
The temple first opened in 1601 in Fushimi. Tokugawa Ieyasu invited the Zen priest Kanshitsu Genkitsu to prove a place of learning under his civil administration policy. Later the temple began publishing the books known as Enkoji books. Wooden print types still exists. Enko-ji was relocated to its present site in 1667. Although the temple declined during the Meiji Restoration it was later restored as a training temple for Buddhist nuns. Today Enko-ji is a zen training temple of Nanzen-ji school. The fresh growth of early summer and colors of autumn are striking. The temple holds the folding screen painted by Murayama Okyo.
