Jizō-in, Buddhist temple in Nishikyō-ku, Japan
Jizō-in is a Buddhist temple surrounded by dense bamboo groves with two pavilions and a Japanese garden. The garden depicts Buddha's sixteen disciples through carefully placed stones and vegetation arranged in specific patterns.
The temple was founded in 1367 by samurai Hosokawa Yoriyuki and later suffered destruction during the Onin civil war. It was reconstructed during the Edo period, when it took its present form.
The temple is dedicated to Jizo Bosatsu, a Buddhist protector deity honored throughout Japan for watching over travelers and children. Visitors can sense this veneration in the representations and how people engage with the sacred space.
The temple has set visiting hours and requires removing your shoes before entering the indoor spaces. It is easily reached on foot and best visited in the morning when fewer visitors are around.
The garden follows the Hiraniwa Karesansui style, a special form of Japanese garden design using sand and stone. This approach allows complex spiritual concepts to be represented through natural elements alone.
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