Tenju-an (天授庵)

Tenju-an (天授庵)Tenju-an (天授庵)Tenju-an (天授庵)Tenju-an (天授庵)Tenju-an (天授庵)

Tenju-an was founded in 1337 as a commemorative temple for the founder of Nanzen-ji, priest Daiminkokushi. The life of those early buildings was short though, with destructions in 1447 and again during the Onin war in 1467. The temple was reconstructed only during the 16th century.

The first garden is near the main hall and is very popular during the autumn, when its maple trees acquire flaming colours. Its design is of the karesansui type (dry landscape - 枯山水). The footpath made of large square stones that passes in the white sand is one of the few things remaining from the original temple of 1337. The second garden (also known as south garden or lower garden) is reached from the end of the first one, after passing under a small wooden gate (watch your head!) It is overlooked by the study, and organized around two ponds populated by koi carps. It is thought to also date back to the temple's origin, albeit with some modifications done here and there. The path circling the pond has an interesting split-style wooden bridge, for example, that was designed in the later Meiji era (late 19th century). Obviously, it was re-built several time as the freshness of its wood shows.

As a bonus, a third small stone garden ("Kyuko" garden) can be accessed from the path just south of the study. It is much more recent and faces an ugly concrete building. There's a large washbasin there, with a small green frog waiting patently for several years to jump in the water :-)

Tenju-an is a temple to visit in autumn. Definitely worth braving the crowd to see it!

Recommended for: Access: 500 円

Nearby: Nanyō-in 南陽院 (120m), Nanzen-in 南禅院 (120m), Konchi-in 金地院 (190m), Dainei-ken 大寧軒 (200m), Saishō-in 最勝院 (220m), Seiryu-tei 清流亭 (320m), Eikan-dō 永観堂 (450m), Murin-an 無鄰菴 (490m), Himukai Daijingu 日向大神宮 (550m), Awata-jinja 粟田神社 (730m),...

External links: ウィキペディア, Kyoto Navi, Trip Advisor, Kyoto Design, 京都風光, そうだ京都, Satellite view, Map

Keywords: Japan, 日本, Japon, Kyoto, 京都, 南左京, Sakyo-ku, Nanzen-ji, 南禅寺, temple, 寺院, 仏閣, Tenju-an

Statistics: visited on 13 occasions, id 323, 32 photos (64 extra photos can be found in the archive).

Photos of Tenju-an:

Zen garden in autumn (Tenja-an 天授庵)
Wooden bridge across pon in zen garden (Tenja-an 天授庵)
Temple terrace in autumn (Tenja-an 天授庵)
Zen garden with pond in autumn, Tenju-an temple
Autumn colours in rock and moss zen garden, Tenju-an temple
Tourists watching autumn colours in Tenju-an temple gardens
First satsuki rhododendron flowers peeking under the lush green maple canopy, Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Uniquely shaped wooden bridge amidst lush green maple trees in the garden of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Aerial view of Tenju-an temple in spring from the top of Nanzen-ji gate, Kyoto, Japan
An even spread of fallen maple leaves on the pond of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Bright red autumn colours and mossy path in the garden of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Woman with purple hat visiting Tenju-an temple garden during peak autumn season, Kyoto, Japan
Autumn colours and late flowers near the narrow path crossing Tenju-an temple garden, Kyoto, Japan
Woman photographing Tenju-an temple garden in autumn, Kyoto, Japan
Pine tree and autumn colors in the dry landscape garden of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Tenju-an temple pond in autumn, Kyoto, Japan
Peak autumn colours in Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
The bright autumn colors of Tenju-an, a subtemple of Nanzen-ji in Kyoto, Japan
Susuki grass hiding among autumn foliage, Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Bright red autumn colors near the garden gate of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Mossy garden gate and bright autumn colours in Tenju-an temple garden, Kyoto, Japan
Tall susuki grass among autumn colors in the garden of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Perfect red autumn colours around the rock and moss garden of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Selfie time in Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Late autumn colours and fallen leaves on the rock and moss garden of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Last light on the garden entrance of Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Snow covered terrace and zen garden in Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Snow covered garden in Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Snow-covered zen garden in Tenju-an temple, Kyoto, Japan
Temple garden and terrace covered by think layer of snow, Tenjuan, Kyoto, Japan