Manshu-in, Buddhist temple in Ichijōji, Kyoto, Japan
Manshu-in is a temple in Ichijōji, Sakyō-ku ward of Kyoto in Japan, belonging to the Tendai Buddhist branch. The compound spreads across several wooden buildings with sunken floors, paper screens, and a garden with ponds, moss, and carefully placed stones.
A Tendai monk founded the temple in the 8th century on Mount Hiei north of Kyoto. An imperial prince moved it to the current site in the mid-17th century and rebuilt the structures in the style of wealthy tea houses.
The temple name refers to a line of aristocratic abbots whose rank is reflected in the quiet order of the rooms. Visitors remove their shoes and follow a set path through the chambers where sliding screens reveal individual scenes.
The walk from the nearest stop goes uphill through a residential area and takes roughly five minutes on foot. Those who want to view the garden quietly should come early in the morning or on overcast days when fewer groups are around.
A corridor at the southern end closes with a wooden wall panel in which a bamboo tube is embedded so that at a certain time of day a beam of light falls through. This element is called a nightingale floorboard and recalls an acoustic security device from older buildings.
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