Tenpuku-ji

Tenpuku-ji is a Buddhist temple featuring curved tile roofs, wooden columns, and stone foundation walls arranged around well-tended gardens. The buildings connect interior spaces to the outdoors through open corridors, allowing views of the grounds from nearly every room.

The temple was founded in earlier centuries as a center for Zen Buddhist teaching in the Hanamigawa region. Its design and layout reflect the architectural principles that shaped Buddhist temples throughout this period.

The temple functions as a living space where visitors can watch monks moving through daily rituals, from morning chanting in the main hall to their evening prayers. The way people move quietly through the corridors and remove their shoes shows how the Buddhist practice shapes the rhythm of the place.

The temple is open to visitors during daytime hours and welcomes people to walk freely through the grounds and gardens. Early morning visits are quietest, making it easier to observe the monks and enjoy the surroundings without crowds.

The monks maintain an ancient tradition of garden care where gravel is carefully raked into patterns representing flowing water. These designs are a quiet visual expression of Zen philosophy that many visitors overlook while walking past.