Shōkoku-ji, Zen Buddhist temple in Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
Shōkoku-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in the Kamigyō-ku district of Kyoto, located north of the Imperial Palace within a quiet residential neighborhood. The complex includes several wooden structures such as main halls, gates, and monk residences, all connected by gardens and paved pathways.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, founded this temple in 1382 as a center for Zen study and monastic life. The grounds suffered heavy damage during the Ōnin War in the 15th century but were rebuilt in the following centuries.
The temple belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism and follows practices that guide monks through meditation and contemplative exercises. Visitors see priests in traditional robes walking through the grounds and conducting ceremonies in the sub-temples.
The main entrance sits a short walk from Kyoto Gyoen park and can be reached through narrow streets that wind through residential areas. Some of the sub-temples open only during certain seasons, so it helps to check which sections are accessible before visiting.
Two famous temples, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji, began as villas for the Ashikaga family and were later converted into sub-temples of this complex. Both buildings still carry the formal connection to this site, even though they are known as separate attractions today.
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