Honpō-ji, Buddhist temple in Upper Kyoto, Japan
Honpō-ji is a Buddhist temple in northern Kyoto that features carefully designed gardens and historic buildings throughout its grounds. The site combines a dry landscape garden with a lotus pond surrounded by stone arrangements.
The temple was founded in 1436 and underwent several relocations before settling at its current location in 1587. These moves reflect the changing landscape of Kyoto during a time of significant transformation.
The temple houses important artistic works, including a large Nirvana painting and ancient scrolls written in gold on purple paper. These treasures reflect the long artistic tradition that has been maintained at this location.
The temple is reachable on foot from Kurama-guchi Station, with the walk taking about 15 minutes through quieter streets. Plan enough time to explore the different gardens and buildings at a relaxed pace.
The Tomoe Garden was designed by Hon'ami Koetsu and features expert stone arrangements that recreate waterfall patterns using blue stones. This refined gardening technique gives the garden distinctive visual depth.
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