The Rikugien garden was initially built by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu from 1695 until 1702. In 1868 it was purchased by Iwasaki Yataro who remodeled the garden to his needs but kept the heart of the garden – the theme of Waka poetry. However, he added many elements. So also the Hōraijima...Continue Reading
Today, we want to explore two popular elements in Japanese gardens. The picture of the turtle and the crane. For this, we will take the garden of Koichi-in in Kyoto as an example, where we have both elements as a rock setting (island) in one garden. However, these pictures can...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Secret Gardens > Kyoto Area > Tōji-in Tōji-in（等持院） Tōji-in is another garden attributed to garden designer and Zen priest Musō Soseki. The first Shogun of the Muromachi period, Ashikaga Takauji, built this temple and had Musō Soseki design it. This rather small and secret temple...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Secret Gardens > Kyoto Area > Taizō-in (Myōshin-ji) Taizō-in (Myōshin-ji)（退蔵院） Taizo-in is a small Zen Buddhism temple located in northwestern Kyoto on the quiet and spacious grounds of Myoshin-ji. With its beautiful gardens and treasures of Japanese art, Taizo-in is the oldest and most famous...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Famous Gardens > Kyoto Area > Sokushū-in (Tōfuku-ji) Sokushū-in (Tōfuku-ji) （即宗院） Sokushu-in is a small sub-temple of Tōfuku-ji. It only open in autumn, which is also the best time to visit it. Unknown to most visitors and a little off the main temples, it is a...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Secret Gardens > Kyoto Area > Shōsei-en (Kikoku-tei) Shōsei-en (Kikoku-tei) （渉成園） Shōsei-en is a garden that belongs to Higashi-Hongan-ji, the big temple of the True Pure Land School of Buddhism just north of Kyoto station. The garden is said to have belonged to the residence of...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Secret Gardens > Kyoto Area > Shōden-ji Shōden-ji （正伝寺） Shōden-ji is a small temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. It is tucked away in the mountains in northern Kyoto. The simple Zen garden in front of the Hojo has a great view on the...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Secret Gardens > Kyoto Area > Shirakawa-in Garden Shirakawa-in Garden（白河院庭園） The Shirakawa-in is a high-class ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) with a small but superb garden. Its history traces back to the early Heian period (794-1185), when the imperial court and the first regent of the...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Famous Gardens > Kyoto Area > Shinju-an (Daitoku-ji) Shinju-an (Daitoku-ji)（真珠庵） Shinju-an was founded in 1491, in honor of the Zen priest Ikkyu, who was the head priest of Daitoku-ji from 1474- 1481. Ikkyu played the main role in reviving the Daitoku-ji temple complex after its...Continue Reading
Top > Gardens Overview > Secret Gardens > Kyoto Area > Sanzen-in Sanzen-in （三千院） Sanzen-in is the main attraction of Ohara, a small village north of Kyoto. It was founded 806 by the monk Saicho that brought introduced the Tendai school of Buddhism to Japan. It has a moss garden that...Continue Reading
