Sōgen garden
Pond and borrowed hills.
SElefant — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · KENPEI — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Steffen Flor — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert — CC BY 4.0 · 663highland — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chainwit. — CC BY 4.0 · Mochi — Public domain
The head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of Rinzai Zen, in Arashiyama, western Kyoto, founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339 and completed in 1345, with the monk Musō Soseki as its first priest. It ranks first among Kyoto's «Five Mountains» and has been one of the «Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto» on UNESCO's list since 1994. Its treasure is the Sōgen pond garden, traditionally attributed to Musō Soseki himself. A pond at its heart mirrors rocks and pines, the mountains of Arashiyama form a borrowed backdrop, and koi swim in its water. The temple also has broad wooden halls whose verandas look onto the garden, a raked sand garden, paths among moss and maples, and a north gate that leads straight into the famous Bamboo Grove. The garden costs 500 yen, plus 300 yen for the buildings, and it opens 8:30-17:00 (last entry 16:50), according to the official site.
Pond and borrowed hills.
Over the garden.
Into the Bamboo Grove.
Arashiyama, western Kyoto, by the Bamboo Grove
500 yen for the garden plus 300 yen for the buildings; it opens 8:30-17:00, according to the official site.
