Anzen-ji, Buddhist temple in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.
Anzen-ji is a Buddhist temple in Niigata featuring traditional wooden halls arranged around gardens designed according to Zen principles. The complex contains multiple buildings that work together to create a harmonious spatial composition.
The temple was founded in 1291 during the Kamakura period, marking the expansion of Buddhism in the region. Fires destroyed the original structures several times, but each rebuilding added new architectural layers to the complex.
The temple serves as an active center for Zen practice, and visitors walking through its grounds can observe how practitioners and monks integrate meditation into their daily routines.
The temple is accessible by local bus from Niigata Station and has parking available for visitors arriving by car. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since exploring the grounds and moving between buildings is done on foot.
Interestingly, the temple's various buildings show features from different historical phases, forming an architectural timeline within a single complex. Careful observers can see how construction styles and craft techniques changed across the centuries.
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