Myōden-ji, Buddhist temple in Sakyō-ku, Japan.
Myōden-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto with wooden buildings in traditional Japanese style, surrounded by gardens and pathways. The grounds contain several areas designed for meditation and religious practice, spread across the entire property.
The temple was founded in 1477 by Buddhist teacher Nichii and developed into an important center for Zen meditation in eastern Kyoto. Over the centuries, it maintained its role as a place of spiritual practice and became part of the broader Buddhist network in the city.
The temple draws its name from a lotus statue and belongs to a network of twenty-one Buddhist institutions across Kyoto. Visitors can observe monks in their daily routines and experience the quiet rhythm of temple life throughout the grounds.
The temple is accessible by public bus and on foot from central Kyoto, with multiple entrances available for arrival. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes, as the grounds have several levels and pathways to explore.
The temple network to which Myōden-ji belongs comprises exactly twenty-one institutions, a number with deeper meaning in Buddhist cosmology. This count reflects spiritual concepts and makes the network particularly significant in Japan's religious landscape.
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