Higashiyama Jisho-ji, Buddhist temple in Higashiyama district, Kyoto, Japan.
Higashiyama Jisho-ji is a temple in Kyoto featuring a wooden pavilion, sand gardens with raked patterns, moss-covered grounds, and winding paths through landscaped areas. The grounds slope gently upward and combine open water basins with densely planted sections.
A military ruler built this temple in 1482 as a retreat during a period of political turmoil in Japan. The upheaval of that era left its mark on the building, as construction plans were disrupted and many original designs were never completed.
The temple embodies Zen Buddhist aesthetics through the careful arrangement of stones, plants, and water that visitors encounter along the paths. These design principles create spaces for quiet reflection and show how nature and human craft work together.
The grounds are open on most days and require comfortable walking shoes as visitors explore paths throughout the area. Flat sections alternate with sloped paths, so it is worth spending time for an unhurried visit.
The famous wooden pavilion was meant to be covered with silver leaf, but war prevented this and it kept its plain wooden surface instead. This contrast between the original plan and what actually exists reminds visitors of the troubled times when it was built.
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