Jojakko-ji was the hilliest of the temples I visited. Winding paths led higher and higher up the mountain until I could see Kyoto in the distance. The temple was founded around the end of the 16th century by Nisshen, 16th Head Priest of Honkoku-ji. Jojakko-ji’s website offers a step-by-step primer on the temple. Niomon gate […]
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Daitoku-ji
Daitoku-ji is a Kyoto temple dating from the early 14th century. Over time, 22 sub-temples have been added to the complex making the 56 acres that comprise the grounds a super destination for enjoying Japanese gardens. A number of Daitoku-ji’s gardens are only open a few weeks each year – others are usually open to […]
Kinkaku – the Golden Pavilion
Upon telling friends that I was heading to Kyoto, I received a lot of suggestions about which gardens warranted a visit. “Kinkaku-ji,” “The Gold Temple,” or “The Golden Pavilion” came up a lot. Common sentiment: “Yeah, a lot of people go there and it’s really busy, but it’s worth it.” Having now visited, I wholeheartedly […]
Ninna-ji Temple
Let’s go to Kyoto! I thought I’d start out the new year with a recap of my visit to some of Kyoto’s fantastic gardens. My first stop was Ninna-ji Temple. Ninna-ji dates to the 9th century making it one of the older temples in a city full of old temples. Around a dozen buildings from […]
Taikan-ten – awesome bonsai
I hope it’s been obvious from my recent posts, but in case it isn’t, I’d like to underscore the fact that the great bonsai exhibits in Japan feature some really great trees. The Taikan-ten in Kyoto is the second largest exhibit in Japan and it always includes some outstanding trees. Special displays feature Kokufu and […]