Manshu-in Temple, 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 temple lies in Ichijōji Takenouchi-chō, Sakyō-ku. From Shūgakuin Station on the Eizan Main Line the walk takes about 20 minutes, and the same time applies from the Ichijōji Shimizu-chō bus stop, served by Kyoto city buses 5, 31 and Kita 8 and Kyoto buses 18 and 56. The approach climbs through a residential district, so allow for the slope.
The tea room Hachisoken, one of Kyoto's three celebrated tea seats, has a lattice window above the entrance whose light casts a rainbow-like shadow, hence its name "rainbow window". Its eight windows represent the eight stages of the Buddha's life. The room is attached to the Small Shoin.
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