Jōmyō-ji, Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Japan
Jōmyō-ji is a Zen temple in Kamakura, Japan, encompassing a copper-roofed main hall and several subsidiary buildings. Stone lanterns line the pathways through gardens that display traditional elements of Japanese landscaping.
Ashikaga Yoshikane founded the temple in 1188 under the name Gokurakuji within the Shingon tradition. It later shifted to the Rinzai Zen school and became part of the Kamakura Gozan system as the fifth most important temple.
The site preserves Rinzai Zen practices that visitors can observe during meditation sessions and tea ceremonies held in its grounds. Pilgrims mark it as the ninth station on the Kannon circuit, making it an active place of religious devotion.
The grounds open daily from 9 AM to 4:30 PM for a small entrance fee. Visitors will find parking on site and should bring comfortable shoes for walking the garden pathways.
The Kisen-an tea house offers ceremonies overlooking a karesansui rock garden, where sand and stones represent water and landscape. Guests can experience traditional matcha preparation here while contemplating the calm composition of stone and gravel.
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