Daitoku-ji is one of the biggest zen temple in Kyoto and is one of the Rinzai school in Buddhism. The temple is located in the north of Kyoto and was originally established in 1325 A.D.
Daitokuji is a temple complex and has 23 tacchuu, a small temple. Each tachuu has a garden, however only four of them are open to the public.
Garden
Daisen-in garden (大徳寺大仙院庭園)
There are a couple of zen garden in the temple.
The biggest one is very simple – consist of just white sand, some rocks and one tree.
The most scenic one is easy to understand – Water comes from gorge and becomes waterfall. White sand portrays river and waterfall and the rocks portrays mountains.
Ryogen-in garden (大徳寺龍源院庭園)
Ryogi-an (龍吟庵) – moss is used instead of gravel white sones.
Hojo-nitei (方丈南庭) – this is the biggest zen garden in this temple.
Zuiho-in garden (大徳寺瑞峯院庭園)
Zuiho-in temple is Sourin Otomo’s family temple. Surprisingly, he is a Christian, so Christianity is in fluenced in this Buddism garden.
What did you find in this zen garden? Maybe islands in ocean. Waves are portrayted.
The garden is beautiful even in winter.
Water flows and there is a bridge on the river.
Houshu-in garden (大徳寺芳春院庭園)
Hoshu-in is a famili temple of lord Toshiie Maeda’s wife in samurai period.
Photos by Nina Hubbs Zurier, Wilson Loo, David, Stuart Codling, Koji Yatani, Koji Yatani and Liz