Zen Temples in Kyoto
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Your eyes might be drawn to the Buddha at Tofukuji Temple causing you to miss the huge cloud dragon on the ceiling. Thank you to the officer who pointed it out to me and encouraged me to stick my camera through the slats and take a photo.- A guardian on a rooftop of Tofukuji.
- This is the building where I "discovered" the large cloud dragon on the ceiling.
- Look through the grate here, not forward at the Buddha, but up -- and you will see the cloud dragon on the ceiling.
- Dating from 1459, the steam baths at Tofukuji temple are the oldest baths of their kind in a temple complex. Sadly, I couldn't go inside.
- The rock garden at Tofukuji temple in Kyoto.
- Stairs lead up to a shrine at Tofukuji temple.
- These torii at Tofukuji temple remind me of being at the Fushimi Inari Shrine.
- The gardens at Tenryu-ji are immense and beautiful --but one of my favorite parts of my trip there was sitting on the tatami in the building to the left and staring out at the pond during a sudden rainstorm.
- Does this represent Avalokiteshvara?
- Close up of a statue at Tenryu-ji temple. I'm guessing this is Avalokiteshvara?
- A statue invites you in a doorway at Tenryu-ji
- Cherry blossom season in Japan is beautiful -- but prepare for wet weather.
- Cherry blossoms in bloom at Tenryu-ji
- Kannon or Kwan-yin is the female version of Avalokiteshvara.
- A wall hanging at Tenryu-ji depicts Daruma, or Bodhidharma -- the first Zen patriarch.
- Flower shown in other photo
- I am assuming this was the Muramusume Camelia mentioned in the sign.
- It's difficult to photograph due to light reflections on the glass -- but Tenryu-ji has a large cloud dragon painting that goes around the corner.
- This seems to be a happy monk among all the meditating monks or buddhas.
- A panorama of some of the mossy stone figures lining a hillside at Otagi Nembutsu-ji.
- Stairs rise to a pagoda at Otagi Nembutsu-ji in Kyoto.
- A smiling Jizo figures sits among the leaves at Otagi Nembutsu-ji.
- Temple buildings at Otagi Nembutsu-ji in Kyoto
- This one reminds me a bit of someone I know.
- A happy beared figure at Otagi-Nembutsu-ji
- My guess is that this is Avalokiteshvara.
- The rin (singing bowl), hokku (drum), and mokugyo (fish-shaped drum) are used during various parts of Zen ceremonies.
- A tennis player is represented among the many mossy figures at Otagi Nembutsu-ji.
- The entrance to Otagi Nembutsu-ji Temple.
- A happy-looking statue outside of Otagi Nembutsu-ji temple.
- A praying figure at Otagi Nembutsu-ji.
- This figure at Otagi Nembutsu-ji has a contented expression
- Large temple building at Nanzen-ji
- Impressive cherry blossoms outside of Nanzen-ji temple in Kyoto.
- Visitors purify themselves with incense outside Nanzen-ji temple in Kyoto.
- Like many to most Zen temples in Kyoto, Nanzen-ji has a rock garden.
- A cloud dragon painted on a door at Nanzen-ji
- A large bell at Nanzen-ji temple in Kyoto
- Have a bowl of matcha and a sweet as you view the relaxing waterfall at Nanzen-ji
- Imagine looking out this window at this view as you sip a bowl of matcha and eat a sweet. Why more people weren't doing this, I don't know.
- This is another photo of the waterfall you can view while drinking matcha at Nanzen-ji.
- Offerings to Jizos. I think this was at Nanzen-ji Oku-no-in.
- Do not enter the Saint Dojo at Nanzen-ji Oku-no-in without practicing "Taki Gyou." That's apparently a waterfall ritual practice.
- If you go up the hill on the trail behind Nanzen-ji, you come to a small shrine at Nanzen-ji Oku-no-in
- A colorful exterior on a building at Konchi-in.
- Doorway to a garden area at Konchi-in
- A walkway at Konchi-in
- Many of these fountains for ritual purification can be found at both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan.
- More monk statues at Konchi-in.
- Monk statues at Konchi-in
- Some koi in the pond at Konchi-in
- The Golden Pavilion sits in front of a fountain and tiny island.
- A fierce rooftop figure at Kinkaku-ji.
- A wider angle shot of Kinkaku-ji from the pond.
- Close up to Kinkaku-ji. I would have liked to have been here around sunset and watch the pavilion shine.
- Visitors try to throw coins into a basin at Kinkaku-ji
- A tiny island in the huge pond at Kinkaku-ji hold what appears to be a single stupa.
- One of the larger temple buildings at Ikkyu-ji.
- A temple building can be seen through a flower-shaped opening in the gate at Ikkyu-ji.
- I can't read this, but the sign for Ikkyu-ji seems to be colorful and a bit humorous.
- According to the temple, it translates to "Do not do badness. Do the right thing." I think good advice for anyone.
- The cenotaph of Ikkyu at Ikkyu-ji in Kyoto reads (according to their translation; I don't read Japanese) "Do not do badness. Do the right thing.
- A tatami area also invites the visitor to sit at Ikkyu-ji.
- Another peaceful garden area behind one of the buildings at Ikkyu-ji.
- A peaceful garden area behind one of the buildings at Ikkyu-ji.
- Close up of part of the Zen rock garden at Ikkyu-ji.
- The rock garden at Ikkyu-ji is simple -- but quiet.
- Visitor entrance, gift shop area, sitting, area, and tiger screen at Ikkyu-ji
- Blessings at Ikkyu-ji. I'm guessing the images here are from the anime Ikkyu-san.
- Kids? Did you ever want to dress up like your favorite rebel monk with skull sceptre. Now you can!
- Late March, early April bring cherry blossoms at Ikkyu-ji. However, the temple is known for its vivid Autumn colors.
- Lilypads in a pond at Ikkyu-ji in Kyoto, Japan.
- This building houses a museum with artifacts related to the temple (and some cartoons of Ikkyu)
- While Ikkyu-ji doesn't have nearly as many mossy stone figures at Otagi Nembutsu-ji, the ones here are stil worth seeing. There is a nearby area which is definitely a cemetery, but I wasn't sure if these statues also served a memorial purpose.
- One side of a multi-faceted statue at Ikkyu-ji
- One side of a multi-faceted statue at Ikkyu-ji
- I find this little monk or Buddha among the stone figures at Ikkyu-ji to be cute.
- Stone figures line a path at Ikkyu-ji. While it doesn't have near as many mossy stone figures at Otagi Nembutsu-ji, the stone figures here are still something to see.
- Unlike many of the more heavily touristed Zen temples, Ikkyu-ji has an area that invites the visitor to sit.
- The kitchen at Ikkyu-ji still serves a type of Natto first made by Ikkyu. Did I try it? No, the kitchen appeared to be closed when I was there and I'll admit that Natto (as well as most other fermented foods) aren't my thing.
- Statue of Ikkyu as a boy, sweeping, at Ikkyu-ji in Kyoto, Japan.
- Close up of a statue of Ikkyu at Ikkyu-ji.
- I was not sure if this statue of a sweeping monk is supposed to be Ikkyu himself as he's also shown sweeping in his boyhood statue.
- You know when you're getting close to Ikkyu-ji. I don't read Japanese, but I could guess this was a caricature of the iconic rebel monk.
- The museum at Ikkyu-ji has these caricture cartoons of the iconic Zen monk based on different stories about his life.
- Ikkyu was known to be a ladies' man.
- The museum at Ikkyu-ji has these caricture cartoons of the iconic Zen monk based on different stories about his life. Sorry for the reflection -- they are kept behind glass.
- This rakusu is from the museum at Ikkyu-ji.
- The Zen garden at Ryoan-ji is world-famous.
- While Ryoan-ji is known for its rock garden, it has an amazing pond. I'd love to just take that boat out for an afternoon.
- The pond at Ryoan-ji is a flurry of Spring color. I'm sure it's beautiful in Autumn as well.
- A large screen at Ryoan-ji.
- A Buddha at Ryoan-ji.
- Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion; its real name is Higashiyama Jisho-ji) sits by a picturesque pond.
- A pond at Ginkaku-ji temple in Kyoto, Japan.
- Cherry blossoms overhang a stream at Ginkaku-ji.
- A stairway leads up a hillside at Ginkaku-ji.
- Ginkaku-ji, like many Zen temples, has beautiful gardens and ponds.
- Entrance to one of the temple buildings across from the rock garden at Ginkaku-ji
- Part of the rock garden at Ginkaku-ji
- The rock garden at Ginkaku-ji includes this cone shape, meant to represent Mount Fuji.
- Looking down at the grounds of Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto, Japan.
- I just liked this tree, standing at Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto, Japan
- A beautiful pond at Eikan-do
- Many rooftop figures can be seen at Japanese Buddhist temples. This one's at Eikan-do in Kyoto.
- A statue at Eikan-do temple in Kyoto.
- Apparently, invading monkeys have been a problem. Inside is a lovely altar space -- but close the screen behind you!
- Is this a cenotaph? I forgot to write down the translation (if there was one) of this stone at Eikan-do.
- A tiny Buddha sits by a large stone with an inscrption at Eikan-do.
- Dragon detail from a purification fountain at Eikan-do.
- A statue and waterfall at Eikan-do.
- Offerings of coins on some little Buddhas at Eikan-do.
When I was in Kyoto for a much-too-short visit, I visited ten of the many, many Zen temples in the city.
This is an album with snapshot-photos of many of the temples there. Most, but not necessarily all, are Zen — some may be other sects. You can find many of the same photos on this gallery as well.
