The Tsukubai of Ryoanji temple gives us a message: Chisoku. It means “I already know I have all I want to have.”

Tsukubai (Washbasin) 蹲

The Rock Garden belongs to a Hojo of Ryoanji temple. In the backyard of the facility, there is a Tsukubai (wash basin). It is a replica of the one Mitsukuni Tokugawa (one of Ieyasu’s grandson) donated in the 17th century.

七里ヶ浜親方

The authentic one. We can’t see it usually.

The washbasin has a square hole and looks like an old Japanese coin. Around the hole, there are four letters. They make four Kanji with the square individually.

They read in clockwise;

“吾”(ware)

“唯”(tada)

“足”(taru)

“知”(siru).

We can find a sentence “吾唯知足” in the washbasin.

The sentence means “I already know I have all I want to have.”

There is a description near the washbasin. It put it:

This is a replica of a Tsukubai (washbasin) belongs to Zorokuan tea room of Ryoanji. It reads that I already know I have all I want to have. It is believed that Mitsukuni Tokugawa (one of grandsons of Ieyasu Tokugawa) donated it (to Ryoanji). The sentence was inspired by the following sentences in Yuikyogyo sutra: 知足之人雖貧而富 不知足者雖富而貧. This thought is the most important thing of Zen and Sado. It brings us peace.

不知足者雖富而貧　知足之人雖貧而富

Yuikyogyo sutra is a compilation of the Buddha’s last teachings and considered as his will. Let us make a inspection on it.

Those who know they have all they want to have are rich though they are poor, the sentence means what now we have is precious.

Our desire, or greed, is infinite. With it, we can’t be fulfilled. In Buddhism, desire is a cause of Ku that makes us suffer. If we are content with what we have, i.e., the current state, we can get rid of Ku. This don’t mean to maintain the status quo but means we can find our overlooked happiness in front of us. I’m afraid this explanation is abstract but just think about what I mean. I suppose you’ll find infinite hope. 合掌

THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE

• Page 1    Introduction, Kiyomizudera, Kinkakuji
• Page 2　Eikando, Tenjuan, Nanzenji, Eikando night illumination, Kiyojmizudera Night illumination.

The following is the contents of this article

Introduction

In this post, I’ll show you an itinerary to enjoy the autumn leaves in iconic places: Kiyomizudera, Kinkakuji, Eikando, Nanzenji, Tenjuan, and the night illumination of Eikando and Kiyomizudera.

ICONIC PLACES

たけちよ

We visit famous places and this itinerary would be behind schedule. I can’t guarantee you can visit all the places.

Kyoto sta. bus stop @ 05:31 京都駅発　5時31分

たけちよ

This itinerary begins at Kyoto sta. bus stop. In case you don’t start at Kyoto sta., be Niohmon gate of Kiyomizudera around 06:00.

At Kyoto sta. D2 bus stop (the red circles), take no. 206 for Gion via Kiyomizu-dera temple. 

シカさん

No. 206 is a loop line. There are 206s depart at A3 for the opposite direction. Don’t take them. TAKE 206 AT D2 BUS STOP.

七里ヶ浜親方

Be on time. We visit Kiyomizudera before it gets crowded with tourists.

Kiyomizu michi bus stop @ 05:43 清水道バス停　5時43分着

The nearest bus stop is Kiyomizu Michi bus stop. It takes about 20 minutes to Kiyomizu-dera.

たけちよ

Check this out.

Kyoto station to Kiyomizudera by bus: To avoid busy route

Kiyomizudera temple is the most popular destination for tourist in Kyoto. From Kyoto station, the route 206 bus is always crowded. In this post, I'll show you the other ways to avoid that busy route. 

kyotokankoyagi.com

2023.01.17

Kiyomizudera is one of the most famous places to visit in Kyoto. Actually, it is always crowded with many tourists.

We can enjoy the extraordinary autumn leaves on the iconic stage.

たけちよ

Check out the video. The renovation was finished on the day before. Enjoy them on the brand-new stage, BAAAAH!!!!!

There are many Momiji trees near the stage and we can admire them on the stage of Okuno-in.

七里ヶ浜親方

Kiyomizudera has many facilities. We are on the stage of Okuno-in around 10:00. Check the video out.

KIYOMIZUDERA temple guide: Deities, stage, renovation, mainhall, must-sees 清水寺につき英語で説明

The absolute guide of Kiyomizudera temple. Deities, stage, renovation, main hall and othre must-sees, all the things available.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.08.14

シカさん

There are many things to see there.

Gion bus stop @ 07:40 祇園バス停　7時40分頃

Be at Gion bus stop B around 07:40. It takes about 30 minutes from Kiyomizudera temple. Take no.12 for Kinkakuji at 07:50 (weekdays) or 07:49 (weekends and holidays).

We’ll gat to Kinkakuji michi bus stop around 08:30.

シカさん

There are 3 Gion bus stops and bus stop B is located in front of Japan Kanji Museum and Library. You’ll find this gate on the right.

Kinkakuji @ 08:45 金閣寺着　8時45分頃

There are 3 Kinkkauji michi bus stops. No. 12 arrives at the red one. The red alien is the entrance of Kinkakuji temple.

シカさん

Walk in the same direction the bus you were on goes. Turn right at the second traffic light (indicated as 金閣寺前/ Kinkakujimae) and you’ll find the entrance.

Kinkakuji opens up the gate at 09:00. In the autumn leaves seasons, we usually wait in line to enter.

たけちよ

I would takes hours to enter. I waited about 2 hours couples of years ago. Kinkakuji is a large place and it takes about 1 hour to get through to the exit. So, I planed to leave there around 11:00.

Kinkakuji temple 金閣寺

About Kinkakuji temple 金閣寺について

Kinkakuji is also a famous place to visit in Kyoto and crowded especially in the autumn leaves season. It has many faculties in a large garden.

七里ヶ浜親方

The red octopus is the entrance and the yellow one is the exit. It takes about 1 hour to reach the exit in this season.

At the red octopus, we can see the golden pavilion. Kinkakuji is designed to enjoy on boat and there are few Momijis to be enjoyed with it.

The garden under the strong influence of  is a beautiful one with many autumn leaves.

シカさん

About Kinkakuji？

Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple/Pavilion 金閣寺英語で説明

 Kinkakuji temple a.k.a. as the golden pavilion in Kyoto is one of the best place to see in Kyoto. Let us learn about what to see like the golden, dry garden, and its history.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2017.10.09

Leave Kinkakuji around 11:00 金閣寺発　11時半

Take no.12, 102, 204, or 205 for Kitaoji Bus Terminal at bus stop C.

We head for Kyoto shiyakusho-mae sta. as following:

THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE

• This page Introduction, the meaning of Japanese gardens, Karesausui of pre-Muromachi era, and Karesansui of post-Muromachi era
• Page 2  The reasons for the development

The following is the contents of this article.

Introduction

The rock garden of Ryoanji temple is often called “Zen garden” though it sounds strange to Japanese people. We never call it Zen garden at all. It is a Karesansui (garden).

In this post, we learn what Karesansui is overviewing a short history of it. 合掌

What do Japanese traditional gardens mean?

Karesanui garden is a type of Japanese traditional garden which hides our respect and gratitude for nature.

たけちよ

It’s a long story. Check out the link below.

The Rock Garden of Ryoanji hides religious syncretism in Japan

The Zen garden/Rock Garden of Ryoanji temple is one of the most famous gardens in Japan. In this article, we learn about the religious syncretism (Shinto, Buddhism) it hides behind.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2022.02.22

The way of traditional garden making is described in Sakuteiki , the oldest text book for Japanese gardening written in the 11th century.

シカさん

It is the most important and influential book for Japanese gardening.

Sakuteiki put it:

”石を立てん事、まづ大旨をこゝろふべき也。

一、地形により、池のすがたにしたがひて、よりくる所々に、風情をめ□□□□、生得の山水をおもはへて、その所々は□こそありしかと、おもいひよせ〱たつべきなり。”

Translation (summary):

To make gardens, remember the following;

1. Make a close inspection of the land and pond(s), Compose a garden as though it was a landscape in nature taking into consideration what real mountains and water (sea, river, stream. pond, etc.) are.

七里ヶ浜親方

In a nutshell, Sakuteiki wants a land and at least one pond. And it asks garden designer and constructor to duplicate nature in the gardens they make.

The gardens described in Sakuteiki belong to residences of aristocrats.They were large enough to have ponds and streams.

たけちよ

Of course there were many types of gardens since 11th century. But they are in the ways Sakuteiki indicates because the foundation of Japanese garden making is written in it.

Karesansui of pre-Muromachi period

たけちよ

Summary of the Karesansui in Sakuteiki. We call it “Karesansui of Pre-Muromachi period.”

Sakuteiki also describes Karesansui.

”池もなく鑓水もなき所に、石をたつる事あり、これを枯山水となづく。”

Karesansui: (In some place in a garden,) To place rocks on the ground, not in ponds or streams.

Basically, rocks in a traditional garden are stuck in water (usually a pond or a small steam) and Sakuteiki says that we can place rocks in Tsukiyama (artificial small mountain ) or Nosuji (a peak of small artificial hill ) exceptionally.

七里ヶ浜親方

Take a look at the photo. Rocks are in the pond. Under the surface, these rocks are surrounded by small rocks which work as reinforcement. That’s a basic way to place rocks.

On the other hand, There also are rocks behind them and they are just on the ground (actually they are stuck into the ground), not surrounded by any rocks.

The Karesansui of post-Muromachi period

たけちよ

Summary of the Karesansui of Post-Muromachi period.

七里ヶ浜親方

Now take a look at the rock garden of Ryoanji.

1. Ryoanji has a large stroll garden but the rock is separated from is with walls, i.e., it is a individual garden.
2. The garden is flat and has no artificial mountains.

In next chapter, we learn how such gardens were developed.

This article is the most precise information on the rock garden and Ryoanji temple. The garden is the most famous dry garden in the world. We discuss about its history, the meaning of the garden, other must-sees, and what Zen is.

Zen garden or Karesansui? 枯山水庭園英語で説明

"Zen garden" sounds strange for us. It is a Karesansui (garden). In this post, we learn what Karesansui is overviewing a short history of it.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2023.06.12

A short history of Ryoanji temple

The history of Ryoanji dates back to the 15th century. In 1450, Katsumoto Hosakawa (細川勝元),  a General  of the eastern Army that lead the largest civil war called “Onin war (応仁の乱 1467-1477) in the middle ages of Japan, inherited a villa build by Saneyoshi Tokudaiji (徳大寺実能). He made the villa his residence and built Ryoanji temple. He invited a monk named Giten Gensyo (義天玄承)  from Myoshinji, the largest Zen temple of Rinzai school, and make him as a founder of the temple.

The Onin war made Ryoanji temple into ashes and Masamoto Hosokawa, a son of Katsumoto’s rebuilt it in 1499. In 1797, a fire burnt down Ryoanji anew. During the Meiji restoration, the Meiji government gave an order: Shrines and temples  must be separated in terms of law. (As I indicated in the article on Gion matsuri festival, shrines and temples were fused.) The order caused destruction of Buddhist temples though it intended nothing but a separation of both religion and put Ryoanji temple into decline. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ of Grate Britain paid a visit and praised “the rock garden” of the temple and her admiration made the garden famous. In 1994, UNESCO enlisted Ryoanji and its garden as a world heritage site.

 The secrets of the zen rock garden

When was the garden built?

A source shown in a Ryoanji temple (The Picture above. It is a copy of a book on the rock garden.) tells that the origin of the rock garden was build in the days of Hosokawa Katsumoto. The garden of his villa has strange rocks and no trees because he wanted to see Iwashimizu Hachimangu shrine every morning over the garden. The book explains the rock garden of the villa of Katsumoto Hosokawa’s and does not exactly tell the dry garden of the Ryoanji (The garden in the picture has a resemblance with “The rock garden” of today.). I suspect “The rock garden” was constructed on the that of Katsumoto’s villa. Some source says that the original garden had a corridor that pass through south to north side to admire the both side of the garden. As I stated before, the temple was caught in fires at least two times and these fires burnt out the documents that prove that what the origin of the garden was like.

Who did make the garden?

The builder of the garden reminds to be a mystery. It is believed that Soami, a gardener designed the garden. On a stone in the garden, the names of persons are engraved. They read “小太郎・口二郎 (Kotaro, Kuchijiro)” but we cannot tell whether they are builders of the garden or not (We cannot see these Kanjis from a veranda.). We can not say who build the garden.

The inspection of the garden

Take a look at the garden before discussing about it. The picture above is a miniature of the rock garden you can find at Ryoanji temple.

The actual size of the rock garden is around 83 feet from east to west and 33 feet from north to south.The garden has 15 stones ans they are put into 5 groupings.

Around the groupings of rocks, there are moss islands.

These island and rocks are floating on the sea of carefully raked white sand.

The garden has no plants except moss because we can enjoy the same view of the garden in every season. This is a typical construction of Karesansui teien (枯山水庭園), or a dry rock garden.

Let us make a close inspection on Japanese garden. We can see these plants behind a wall. They are outside of the garden. The garden itself has no plants and flowers except moss.

The plants and flowers are called Syakkei (借景) . Syakkei literally means “Borrowing scenery”. It is an art of dry rock garden. We usually “borrow” trees and mountains behind a garden and see them as parts of it. See the picture above. This is a garden of Tenryuji temple. It “borrows” the Mt. Arashiyama stands outside of the garden.

Now let us talk about the wall. This wall are made of clay boiled in seed oil. The oil seeped out of it and make “scenery” on the wall. It gave us a “wabi (poverty)-sabi (solitude) impression.

The peculiar thing about the wall is its height. From east to west, the wall gradually loses its height for drainage. Precisely, the garden is not horizontal in order to drain water.  It is said that the constructor had another intention; To gave us an impression that the garden broader than the actual size taking advantage of the gradual change of the height of the garden.

The meaning of the garden

The intention of the garden is also controversy. We have many hypotheses. I show you three of them.

Crossing the river with tiger cubs

This hypothesis depends on an old Chinese anecdote. When a tiger gives birth to three cubs, one of them is a leopard. The tiger family wants to cross a river. The mother tiger can cross the river with only one cub. The leopard eats tiger cubs without the presence of the mother tiger. So, the mother tiger crosses the river in this fashion;

A tiger family. A cub that has a fork is a leopard.

The mom crosses the river with the leopard.

The mom comes back.

The mom brings a cub to the other side.

The mom comes back with the leopard.

The mom brings another cub to the other side.

The mom comes back to the leopard.

The mom crosses the river with the leopard.

At Ryoanji temple, there is a miniature of the rock garden and a guidance beside it. The guidance explains that the garden indicates this hypothesis.

15

The rock garden has 15 stones. In the East, 15 is a numeral that means perfection. because the moon becomes full moon in 15 days. Seated on the veranda of Hojo, the main hall of the temple, we can see only 14 stones (If we stood there, we can see all of them). The constructor or designer of the garden intended to show imperfection in perfection (This is one of the typical conception we Japanese have.) .

Heart

Seeing the groupings of rocks as a Kanji letter “心”. The Kanji means “heart” or “mind”. In Zen, we prefer communicate without words.

あ

More information!

The meaning of Ryoanji Zen Rock Garden

No one tells the meaning of "The Rock Garden" of Ryoanj in Kyoto precisely despite its fame. Fortunately, we have some hypotheses. In this article, we make an inspection on the garden with them.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2019.08.05

THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE

• This page　Introduction, what is religious syncretism, Shinto found in The Rock Garden
• Page 2　Four kinds of Niwa, Buddhism found in The Rock Garden, Conclusion　

The following is the contents of this page.

Introduction

The Zen garden/Rock Garden of Ryoanji temple is one of the most famous gardens in Japan.

In this post, we learn about the religious syncretism it hides behind in historical point of view.

七里ヶ浜親方

It’s gonna be a long story, O.K.?

What is religious syncretism?

Religious syncretism means a fusion of diverse religious belief.

Japan has Shinto, the indigenous religion to it for centuries. No one can tell when it was originated but some ruins tell us that it has over 2,000 years of history.

In the 6th century, Buddhism was brought to our country from India. Since then, both of them have been fused and coexisted in a phenomenon called Shinbutsu Shugo(神仏習合).

We can find an example of this coexistence in “The rock garden” of Ryoanji.

Shinto found in The Rock Garden

Niwa and Kami

“The Rock garden” is a kind of Teien (Garden in English). The word is derived from “Niwa.”

In the authentic sense, Niwa means a place where some activity is carried on. The most important thing took place there were ritual and prayer.

In prehistoric times, our ancestors considered mountains as one of the places to which Kami descend. Kami, known as Shinto Deity today, is spirit(s) we found in natural phenomena or nature itself.  For example, mountains provided our ancestors with wild food resources and were very closed to them and they showed respect and gratitude for nature.

They left the mountains

In Yayoi period (300 BC to 300 AD), rice cultivating was brought to Japan from ancient China, our ancestors left mountains and started to live in plains for rice paddy but they still considered mountains as one of the most sacred places.

『古事記(Kojiki)』, the earliest chronicle on Japanese history, describes Kami and the history of the Japanese Imperial family, puts it: 於御諸山 拜祭意富美和之大神前.

The sentence shows us the way a priest carries out a ritual in the mountain (山).

In the 6th century, Shinto shrines were developed as permanent place to hold ritual under the influence of Buddhism. They were build with Chinshu no Mori forest (糺の森) as a substitute for the mountains because they still wanted the sacred place for rituals and prayers though they left the places they used to live in.

Niwa for rituals

『古事記(Kojiki)』also puts it: 爾出雲國造之祖・名岐比佐都美、餝青葉山而立其河下、將獻大御食之時、其御子詔言「是於河下、如青葉山者、見山非山。若坐出雲之石之曾宮、葦原色許男大神以伊都玖之祝大廷乎。」

It narrates a ritual held in a garden where a tree ornamented with lots of leaves and the tree is a substitute for mountain. It shows us that the garden was a place for ritual but a mountain was still in need as a place for ritual.

『日本書記(Nihon Shoki)』, the second oldest chronicle on Japanese history puts it: 天照大神、手持寶鏡、授天忍穗耳尊而祝之曰「吾兒、視此寶鏡、當猶視吾。可與同床共殿、以爲齋鏡。」復勅天兒屋命・太玉命「惟爾二神、亦同侍殿內、善爲防護。」又勅曰「以吾高天原所御之穗、亦當御於吾兒。」

This is one of the most famous episodes in Japanese mythology. It describes Amaterasu Ohomikami (天照大神), the ancestor of the Imperial family, gave Ameno Oshihomimi (授天忍穗耳尊) a rice plant and an order to feed Japan with it. Now Ameno Oshihomimi is permitted to reign the country. The rice plant he were given used to belong to Yuniwa(齋庭), the sacred garden.

『万葉集(Manyoshu)』, the oldest compilation of Waka poem and known as the source of the name of the Imperial period Reiwa, puts it: 尓波(Niwa)奈加能 阿須波乃可美尓 古志波佐之 阿例波伊波々牟 加倍理久麻泥尓.

The poem is roughly translated in modern Japanese as 庭中の阿須波の神に小柴さし我れは斎はむ帰り来までに. It means that I hold a small ritual and pray that I shall come back here again in Niwa.

The Wakas in Manyoshu were composed by people in various classes. It tells us that Niwa was a popular place for rituals those days.

The most appropriate example for the usage of Niwa is Gion Matsuri festival. It was started as a Buddhist ritual called Gion Goryoe held in a private garden of the emperor called Shinsen-en. It may sound strange to you but it is very appropriate in terms of the role of Niwa.

THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE

• This page　Overview, #1 Shodendenji, #2 Ryoanji, and #3 Komyoin
• Page 2　#4 Daisenin, #5 Zuihoin, and #6 Nanzenji
• Page 3　#7 Tofukuji and #8 Kenninji
• Page 4   #9 Myorenji and #10 Tenjuan

The following is the contents of this article.

Overview

What does the word “Zen garden” mean?

The term “Zen garden” sounds strange to us because Japanese language doesn’t have the word. The gardens it intends to describe is “Karesansui (枯山水)” garden.

“Karessnsui (枯山水)” stands for “Dry garden.” “Kare” means dry and “sansui” does garden in old Japanese. Why is a garden dry? Let us make it clear with an introduction to Japanese Karesansui garden.

Zen garden or Karesansui? 枯山水庭園英語で説明

"Zen garden" sounds strange for us. It is a Karesansui (garden). In this post, we learn what Karesansui is overviewing a short history of it.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2023.06.12

A short history of Karesnsui garden

Karesansui garden was invented in Muromachi period (1336 – 1573). Before the invasion of Karesansui, water, usually pond or stream, was indispensable to Japanese garden. In ancient time, Japanese people adored nature. Due to our traditional animism, water represented dignity and fertility of sea in garden.

In Kamakura period (1185 – 1333), Eisai, the founder of Rinzai school, introduced Zen to Japan from Son dynasty of China. In its philosophy, “Wabi Sabi (侘びさび)” was worshiped. The word means “Solitude and poverty.” In this conception, things shall be simple to be prolific and profound. Typical Karesansui garden has no waterfall or stream, only small sand pebbles make pond or sea instead. We can find no plants except moss or evergreen. A glimpse of small rocks reminds of islets on vast ocean… Zanzan Johsui of garden sometimes it makes us wonder. “Zanzan Johsui (残山剰水) ” is an art of ancient Chinese painting. In this technique, artist depicts a part of subject to describe the whole.

In addition to it, our point of view was on the verge of changing: People enjoyed strolling around in garden before the introduction of Karesansui and when Zen gave birth to Karesansui, garden became a thing to be enjoyed from a room in Hojo building adjacent to it.

The garden in Tenryuji temple was a good example of an intermediate of Karesansui and its ancestor: It has a pond and sand field. We can walk along the shore and admire a view of it in a room of Hojo. (It is designed to be seen from Hojo.)

In Kamakura and Muromachi period, Zen and Rinzai shool Buddhism was so popular among Samurai and commoners that many Zen temples with Karesansui garden was build.

#1 Shodenji temple 正伝寺

Hojo garden 方丈庭園

The Hojo garden was designed by Konori Enshu, the most famous garden designer in Edo period. From left to right, 3 groupings of shrubs of Satsuki. Each grouping has 3, 5, and 7 shrubs individually. The garden has the same meaning of the rock garden of Ryoanji temple: Toranoko Watashi. Toranoko watashi is a populare theme of Karesausui garden. Check the link out to make sure of it.

Ryoanji: Zen rock garden facts

IntroductionThis article is the most precise information on the rock garden and Ryoanji temple. The garden is the most f...

kyotokankoyagi.com

2017.06.18

Now take a look at a door to the garden (It is usually closed).

The door is □. The wooden circle is 〇. The cap a racoon wears is △.

Zen loves these signs.  □ means preoccupied mind. 〇 stands for the truth. △ does indicate a state in which we are Buddha.

We also can find these signs in the garden; The wall (□), shrubs (〇), and Mt Hiei(△).

The garden belongs to Hojo. Hoji is a building for reception in Buddhist temple. The ceiling of the that of Shodenji temple has blood stain.

On 8th August in 1600, over 300 warriors of Tokugawa army made Seppuku in Fushimi castle. In the summer heat, their corpses had been on the floor for a month to make blood stain on it. The floor was brought to some temples in Kyoto, including Shodenji, to make ceilings of them for the purpose of praying for the peace of the souls of the Samurai. A monk of a some temple which has blood stain ceiling told me that even our presence under the ceiling would ease their pain.

Shodenji is located rural area in Kyoto. All we can hear there is chirps of birds. Enjoy the best Zen garden on the planet.

七里ヶ浜親方

As though we were on the top of the world!

How to get to Shodenji temple?

1. It is hard to get to Shodenji temple.
2. Take bus No.1 for Nishigamo.
3. Get off at Yamanomae bus stop.
4. Walk in the same direction as the bus goes.
5. Just walk straight to a gate indicated in the green alien in the map.

げきすせん

It would be better to take taxi to go there!

About Shodenji temple 正伝寺基本情報

#2 Ryoanji temple　龍安寺

The Zen garden/ The Rock garden 方丈庭園

The “Zen rock garden” of Ryoanji is the most famous Karesansui garden in the world. In addition to it, the most mysterious garden: Ryoanji temple was burnt out many times in its history. I suppose documents about it and its garden was lost completely. As far as I know, the oldest one is a guidebook of Kyoto named Miayako Meisyo Zue in 1780. The book has no reference to the garden because Ryoanji was famous for mandarin ducks in the pond before Queen Elizabeth ll visit.

We have anther mystery: No one can tell what the garden means. Usually, Karesansui garden is has theme. For example, the garden of Korinin temple means a Buddhist creed. On the other hand, we are at a loss for it meaning of that of Ryoanji’s. It is commonly believed that it implies ancient Chinese anecdote called Toranoko watashi (A tiger mom crosses a river with her babies.). If you interested in the story, see the link below.)

The garden is extraordinary Karesansui. The view of it makes us fell as though we were in the center of the Universe. To our regrets, it is so famous that it always crowded with tourist. If you wanted admire it, it would be better to be the first or the last visitor of a day.

Enjoy Rryoanji in complete silence. I was the last visitor of the day.

Ryoanji: Zen rock garden facts

IntroductionThis article is the most precise information on the rock garden and Ryoanji temple. The garden is the most f...

kyotokankoyagi.com

2017.06.18

The meaning of Ryoanji Zen Rock Garden

No one tells the meaning of "The Rock Garden" of Ryoanj in Kyoto precisely despite its fame. Fortunately, we have some hypotheses. In this article, we make an inspection on the garden with them.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2019.08.05

If you were interested in Ryoanji, see the link above.

How to get to Ryoanji temple?

Kyoto city bus: Ryoanji mae bus stop.

Randen: Ryoanji station

About Ryoanji temple

#3 Komyoin temple　光明院

Hashintei 波心庭

Komyoin has the most overlooked Karesansui garden in Kyoto. It is only known to so-called “Kyoto enthusiasts.” The garden is designed by Mirei Shigemori, a famous garden designer in the 20th century.

The garden is named Hashin no niwa. It was named after a Zen riddle. An apprentice asked a Zen master what Buddhism. He answered “With calm mind, the answer appears as it is as the moon appears on a surface of pond or sea.”

It is also known as Niji no Kokedera (The moss garden over the rainbow). Mirei is famous for his technique of take advantage of moss in garden. The mosses on the garden stands for calm sea shore against roaring ocean.

There are 75 stones in the garden. 9 of them represent Buddhist statues.

Komyoin always has scarce visitors except in the season of Autumn leaves. It is one of the best place to meditate in Kyoto.

It shows a good example of our attitude for nature. Traditional Japanese house has usually has sliding doors instead of walls. In warm season, we remove them to be in nature. Nature is always close to us and we show our gratitude for it.

We always enjoy Gakubuchi Teian technique. It is an art to admire garden. We consider window as a picture frame.

Komyoin temple, the best Zen garden in Kyoto

Komyoin is solemn, uderrated temple but has the best Zen garden to meditate in Kyoto. Let us visit there in four seasons and enjoy cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, and snow!

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.04.25

If you were interested in Ryoanji, see the link above.

How to get to Komyoin temple?

JR/Keihan Tofukuji station

About Komyoin temple

THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE

• This page: Short history of Saihoji and its gardens
• Page 2:  Othre must-sees, Kannon kyo sutra, and reservation to visit

The following is the contents of this article.

A short history of Saihoji: Why did Kokedera gained its mosses?

Saihoji enjoyed its fame as a “Kokedera (Moss temple) all over the world thanks to the mosses it has. Actually, the garden is covered with over 120 kinds of mosses.

Saihoji was originally founded as a villa of Shotoku Taishi. He is a son of Emperor Yomei and known for the great advocator of Buddhism which was introduced to Japan in the 6th century.

About 100 years later, Emperor Shomu asked Gyoki, who made an extraordinary contribution to build the Great Buddha in Nara, to found the villa as a Buddhist temple called “西方寺.”

シカさん

西芳寺 (the temple we call Kokedera) and 西方寺, both of them are pronounced “Saihoji.”

After the foundation, 西方寺 went into decline and disappeared. Any archives cannot tell exactly what happened to it.

In the 12th century, Nakahara Morokazu, a high-ranking Samurai in the Kamakura Shogunate, renovated former Saihoji into Saihoji temple and Etodera temple but both of them collapsed as former Saihoji did.

Finally, in the 14th century, Chikahide Nakahara, asked Muso Soseki, one of the most talented garden designers in Japanese history, to make these temples alive anew. This is the de facto origin of Saihoji we know today. It was a superb Zen temple and was famous among monks even in the Ming Dynasty.

In 1469, due to Ohnin no Ran, the largest civil war in Japan, Saihoji went into debris. Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the founder of Ginkakuji temple, tried to reconstruct Shitoan (指東庵, a small temple located in the upper garden) in vain.

In addition to the war, Saohoji was caught by fire and burned out completely in the 16th century.

Garan (伽藍 Building comples consists of a Buddhist temple) of Saihoji we know today was established in the Meiji period (1868-1912).

七里ヶ浜親方

Saihoji is located in a valley and suffered from floods many times. And as described, it experienced destructions. After these floods and destructions, it was deserted many times. During the deserted times, it gained lots of mosses gradually. 

These mossed were not planted deliberately.

The garden of Saihoji has islands. In traditional Japanese gardens, Edges of islands are to be graveled for the purpose of implying shores. It is a strict rule cannot be violated.

This is the garden of Byodoin temple. The edge of the island is graveled.

On the other hand, at the shore of the Saihoji’s, there are gravels covered with mosses. The fact reveals that the mossed were not planted on purpose.

The gardens in Saihoji

Saihoji has 2 gardens. The upper garden and the lower garden. The upper garden is not open to us. The temple give us no particular reason but I suppose it is a place for contemplation. Under the influence of Zen, these gardens were renovated in 1339 by Muso Soseki, well-known monk and garden designer. He renovated the upper garden as a place to practice Zen.

Zen garden or Karesansui? 枯山水庭園英語で説明

"Zen garden" sounds strange for us. It is a Karesansui (garden). In this post, we learn what Karesansui is overviewing a short history of it.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2023.06.12

The upper garden 上段庭園

As I said before, we cannot enter the upper garden. It is constructed as an ideal place for Sugyo by Muso Soseki.

The most important thing in the upper garden is Koinzan Ishigumi (洪隠山石組). It is a group of rocks and the oldest one in Zen gardens.

And it has the first Ryumon Baku in Japan. (The photo is that of Kinkakuji’s)

In Ryumon Baku, there are rocks stand for a carp and a waterfall. An old Chinese anecdote put it: A carp tries to crawl up a water fall against the current. When it succeeds to crawl up the fall, it becomes a dragon. In Zen, the story shows the way apprentice monks to take: Through tough Sugyo, obtain the knowledge of Kannon.

七里ヶ浜親方

Koiyama of Gion Matsuri tells us the story.

The lower garden

Oveview

Saihoji temple opens only the lower garden to us. I’m not sure the reason but I suppose it consider the upper garden is a place for Shugyo, the practice of Buddhism.

The lower garden has a “Ogonchi (黄金池) pond. The small spring called Yuhi no Shimizu is a source of it.

Ogonchi has three islands: Asahigashima(朝日ヶ島), Yuhigashima(朝日ヶ島), and Kasumigashima(霞ヶ島). We are not allowed to get them though they are connected with bridges each other. The pond also has three teahouses: Shoando (少庵堂),  Shonantei (湘南亭), and Tanhokutei (潭北亭).

The name of the pond was derived from Hekigenroku, the compilation of Zen Stories in Southern Song dynasty of China.

In the story, a monk asked the emperor to build Muhoto after his decease. The emperor was at a loss for what Muhoto means and asked a disciple of the monk.

He replied,  ”湘之南、潭之北～（中略）～中有黄金充一国～（中略）～無影樹下合同船～（中略）～瑠璃殿上無知識～（中略）～”

It’s an allegory and hard to describe what the sentences mean. Actually, they have many interpretations. The following is a translation:

Muhoto literary means Seamless tower. but the word implies the Buddhist pure land.

湘之南、潭之北 describes how vast the pure land is. (The sentence implies the southern and northern part of an ancient dynasty of China.)

中有黄金充一国 literary means it is filled with gold. This sentence implies the people there are precious like gold and they can be Buddhas.

無影樹下合同船 means that the pure land is as if we are in ship under the sun.

瑠璃殿上無知識 means we cannot recognize and understand it and the way to be a Buddha with any knowledge.

たけちよ

Muhoto is a Gokuraku Jodo and the monk wanted the emperor make the country a kind of Gokuraku Jodo.

七里ヶ浜親方

REMEMBER

• Shonantei (湘南亭), and Tanhokutei (潭北亭) teahouse: 湘之南、潭之北.
• Ogonchi (黄金池): 黄金. 
• 船 in 無影樹下合同船 is a ship or boat. A small boat is on Ogonchi (Take a look at the photo above.)
• The garden used to have a building called Ruriden (瑠璃殿).

In a nutshell, the lower garden is based on the story and stands for Gokuraku Jodo.

Syonantei teahouse 湘南亭（重要文化財）

A teahouse named Shonantei was build when Muso Soseki renovated Saihoji in the 14th century. The teahouse bears the same name we can see today was constructed by Shoan, a son of Sen no Rikyu,  in the 19th century.

Tanhoku tei teahouse 潭北亭

It is believed it was constructed in the in the 14th century.

Shoan do teahouse 少庵堂

Shoan do is named after Shoan who renovated Shonantei teahouse.

“We show our gratitude for all the medical workers fight against COVID-19.”

Tofkuji is one of the most famous place to admire autumn leaves in Kyoto. In 2021, it provides us with the first Aomomiji night illumination for the first time in its history. I’ll show you what’s going on there, 合掌

いちきしま　ひめ

This site and article don’t recommend outing though the state of emergency was lifted. Make your decision with extreme care.

This site cannot guarantee your safety.

The information of shrines and temples are subject to be changed.

This site is not responsible for any disadvantages you have at all.

外出されるか否かは十分な情報を収集の上、ご自身で判断なさってください。本投稿、並びに本サイトは読者の皆様の外出を喚起・推奨するものではなく、三密回避やソーシャルディスタンスなどの確保を保証するものではありません。また、本投稿内の記載事項は変更されることがありますので、ご注意ください。上記、並びに本サイトから起因する一切の不利益に対し、本サイトはいかなる責任も負いません。かならずご自身でご決断・確認ください。

シカさん

Remember! The entrance gate will be closed at 20:00!

Places we can visit 拝観できる場所

We are to go along the route Tofukuji prepared. It is a one way route but not a strict one. In Tsuten Bashi bridge (通天橋) and Sengyokukan (洗玉澗) area and Hobo Teien garden, we can admire extraordinary Aomomji (Green Maple leaves).

I’m sure you are familiar with this view. The bridge in the photo is Tsuten Bashi bridge and I shoot it on the Gaunkyo bridge(臥雲橋).

Tsuten Bashi bridge is over Sengyokukan vally and located in the area of Tofukuji. On the other hand, Gaunkyo bridge is located outside of the area of it.

Usually, we go to Tofukuji by way of the bridge from the JR/Keihan Tofukuji station admiring a good view of Sengyokukan and Tsuten Bashi bridge.

During the night illumination, the bridge is covered with tarp as you see in the photo for the purpose of preventing people from gathering there.

The entrance is Nikkamon gate. In front of the main hall there is a reception. A special device take your temperature and a staff sprays some hand sanitizer on your hands.

After these, you can have a brochure and a piece of Aomomiji Monaka.

We walk around Sengyokukan vally, admire Aizendo and enter the Zen gardens by way of Tsuten Bashi bridge. Then, we admire the main hall and Sanmon bridge.

たけちよ

Now let us get down to business, BAAH!!!

Sengyokukan Vally 洗玉澗

Sengyokukan is a valley lies under Gaunkyo and Tsutenbashi bridge and one of the most famous places to admire autumn leaves and, of course, Aomimiji thouth it used to be filled with Sakura.

七里ヶ浜親方

In the 14th century, a monk named Mincho (明兆) of Tofukuji painted extraordinary Nehanzu (涅槃図). Nehanzu is a picture shows us a moment in which Gautama Buddha’s death.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi, the 3rd Shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, highly acclaimed it.

He wanted to give him reward and asked Mincho, “What do you want?”

He replied, “Cut off all the Sakure trees. I want them to be cut because lots of people gather around them in Spring. They are very noisy and annoy monks.”

Yoshimochi made his wish came true.

シカさん

Yoshimochi is a son of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who founded Kinkakuji temple.

I’m in the Nehanzu he painted, ニャー（In Nehanzu, people and animals cry around Gautama Buddha. Usually, we cannot find cat in Nehanzu.）

On June 13, Ajisai (紫陽花), or hydrangea, were in full bloom

シカさん

Sengyokukan in night is such a beautiful place to see. If Kyo no Tanabata were canceled, it would be the best place to visit instead.

It reminds me of Polly Brown’s So Much in Love.

アフロさん

Enjoy Sengyokukan in fall.

Aizen doh hall 愛染堂

Aizen Myo Oh, a Deity who brings us LOVE,  is enshrined there. 。

たけちよ

煩悩即菩提

Tsuten Bashi bridge 通天橋

Tsuten Bashi bridge is the most famous place in Tofukuji to admire Autumn leaves in Sengyokukan vally. In Aomomiji season, it gives us incredible views as it does in fall.

Tofukuji has 3 great bridges. Gaunkyo, Tsutenbashi, and Engetsukyo bridge. On Tsutenbashi, we can find Engetsukyo bridge illuminated on the opposite direction of Gaunkyo. Engetsukyo is a bridge to visit Ryoginan(龍吟庵) which has the oldest Hojo. Hojo is a place which monks live in. Engetsukyo and Ryoginan are illuminated thougth we cannot enter them.

七里ヶ浜親方

The view from Tsutenbashi in fall.

Honbo Teien gardens 本坊庭園

アフロさん

Honbo Teien garden is open to us by July 25.

We cannot visit Honbo Teien gardens with shoes on. At the entrance, take your shoes off and put them in a plastic bag prepared for you.

Honbo Teien gardens called “Hasso no Niwa.” They describe 8 stories in the life of Gautama Buddha.

The south garden is so-called Zen garden.

The east garden is also a Zen garden. These 7 poles stand for the big dipper.

In the west garden, well-trimmed Satsuki make check patterns.

At Tsutendai located near the west garden, we can have a good view of Tsutenbashi and Sengyokukan.

In the north garden, stones and mosses make check pattern.

シカさん

There is a Satsuki trimmed in heart-shape.

The main hall 本堂

The main hall was constructed in 1934 after the fire happened in 1881. It enshrines a statues of Gautama Buddha and those of his guardians. On the ceiling, there is a huge dragon painted.

We can take photos of them though usually strictly phohibited.

Sanmon gate 三門 (National Treasure)

It is constructed by Ashikaga Yoshimochi as his donation. It is the oldest Sanmon gate of Zen temple. Sanmon means “the gate for enlightenment” and usually located in front of the main hall.

About Tofukuji temple 東福寺基本情報

How to get to Tofukuji? 東福寺へのアクセス

About 10 minutes walk from JR/Keihan Tofukuji station.

The rock garden of Ryoanji is one of the most famous garden in the world. No one knows what it means. In this article, we’ll make a small inspection on it with many hypotheses.

Usually, a garden like that of Ryoanji is called Karesansi Teien in Japan. We can understand name and meaning of it easily because many gardens are designed on Buddhist teaching and we can know who the designer is. In many cases, we can find them on document Buddhist temple has.

On the other hand, we have scarce knowldge of Karesansui Teien of Ryoanji’s because the temple was caught by fire many times and documents are burnt out.

These things make The Rock Garden remain mysterious.

Before discussing the garden, let us see it.

Ichikisima hime

Here we go!

Crossing the river with tiger cubs　虎の子渡し

This hypothesis depends on an old Chinese anecdote and the most popular one. When a tiger gives birth to three cubs, one of them is a leopard. The tiger family wants to cross a river. The mother tiger can cross the river with only one cub. The leopard eats tiger cubs without her presence. So, the mother tiger crosses the river in this fashion;

A tiger family. A cub that has a fork is a leopard.

The mom crosses the river with the leopard.

The mom comes back.

The mom brings a cub to the other side.

The mom comes back with the leopard.

The mom brings another cub to the other side.

The mom comes back to the leopard.

The mom crosses the river with the leopard.

At Ryoanji temple, there is a miniature of the rock garden and a guidance beside it. The guidance explains that the garden indicates this hypothesis.

たけちよ

This is the most popular meaning. Ryoanji accepts it.

Overview

Built in 1255, Tofukuji temple is one of the oldest Zen temples in Kyoto. It is named after Todaiji and Kofukuji temple in Nara.  The Sanmon gate (The photo above) is the oldest one in Japan and listed as National treasure. It used be a famous for beautiful  cherry blossoms but they were replaced with maple trees in Muromachi period (1336 ~ 1573) to be a landmark of autumn leaves. Today, it is famous for bridges floating over cloud of autumn leaves and amazing Zen garden.

We have two places to visit in Tofukuji temple: Sengyokukan valley and The main hall.

Sengyokukan valley has about 2,000 maple trees.

On the other hand, the main hall has four beautiful gardens.

Sengyokukan valley 洗玉澗

I’m sure you have seen this scenery in guide books. At Tofukuji temple, there are bridges floating over the cloud of autumn leaves. One is Tsutenkyo(通天橋 In the picture above. The red alien in the map.) and the other is Gaunkyo(臥雲橋 In the picture below. The blue alien in the map. ) Tsutenkyo is located in the area of Tofukuji temple. If you would like to go there, you pay entrance fee and have permission. On the other hand, Gaunkyo is located outside of the area of Tofukuji and you can be there without them.

As indicated in the map above, these bridges faces each other. It is not permitted to take pictures on them these years. Between them, there is Sengyokukan valley.

This is Tsutenkyo bridge. In fall, it is crowded with many tourists. From here, we can enjoy amazing red and vermilion autumn colors.

Into Sengyokukan valley

The vermilion cat indicates the entrance of Sengyokukan valley. After the entrance, you stroll along a path (the green line in the map). It is so narrow that it takes at least 40 minuntes to get to exit. The path leads to Kaizando building. At the green alien, there are two paths to take: To Kaizando or to Tsutenkyo bridge and exit. If you were in hurry, head for exit. Usually in fall, it takes around 1 hour to get out of the valley by way of Kaizando building.

In the valley, we can admire so beautiful red and vermilion leaves. Only a few places has this kind of colors.

In addition to it, we also enjoy green leaves with them. We have a few places to see green, red, and vermilion leaves at the same time.

Between two bridges, there is a stream. The fallen leaves are so stunning. This is my favorite place in Tofukuji temple.

やぎももさん

Beyond descriptionどすえ

The main hall and gardens 本坊庭園

The main hall has four gardens. This is the South garden called “Hasso no niwa,” or Hasso garden. Hasso means important eight things like enlightenment happened to Gautama Buddha. It is a typical Zen rock garden constructed with white pebbles, stones, and evergreen, and moss. Thanks to them, we have the same view of the garden in any season. In fall we can catch a glimpse of maple trees behind the wall. The blue octopus in the map is the entrance.

At the West garden, there also is zen garden.

Adjacent to it, there is a small place to see Tsutenkyo bridge (the purple dinosaur in the map).

The north garden has extraordinary colors.

And the East garden, too.

One more time, one more bridge

There is a sub-temple named Ginryuan (龍吟庵). On the way to there, we have small bridge named Engetsukyo (偃月橋 The purple alien in the map).

The best time to visit Tofukuji temple

Usually, the autumn leaves in Tofukuji temple goes into bloom around mid-November, couples of days earlier than most of the landmarks in Kyoto. Korinin temple, Ryoanji temple, Toji, and Komyoin temple went into bloom at the same time.

Top 10 popular Autumn leaves spots in Kyoto 2025 京都紅葉名所英語で解説

As a forecast of the autumn leaves in Kyoto 2025, Kyoto Goat choose top 10 popular sites of 57 shrines and temples.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.09.24

Top 10 underrated Autumn Leaves spot in Kyoto 2025: 京都紅葉穴場英語で解説

As a forcast of the autumn leaves in Kyoto 2025, Kyoto Goat choose top 10 underrated sites of 57 shrines and temples.

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.09.28

Komyoin temple is the most recommended place. Very calm Zen temple. It takes a couple of minutes to go there from Tofukuji temple.

Komyoin temple, the best Zen garden in Kyoto

Komyoin is solemn, uderrated temple but has the best Zen garden to meditate in Kyoto. Let us visit there in four seasons and enjoy cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, and snow!

kyotokankoyagi.com

2018.04.25

ヒヒヒ

Don’t miss it!

About Tofukuji temple

• Name  Enichizan Tofukuji　慧日山東福寺
• Address　15−778 honcho, Higashiyama ward, Kyoto city 〒605-0981
• Phone no.  075-561-0087
• Website 　Tofukuji official
• Opening hours 8:30～16:00
• Entrance fee
• Sengyokukan valley (通天橋・開山堂)
• Adult 400 yen　Junior and elementary school 300 yen
• The main hall (本坊庭園)
• Adult 400 yen　Junior and elementary school 300 yen
• Time required 1 hour～

How to get to Tofukuji temple

About 10 minutes walk from JR/Keihan Tofukuji temple.