Tōji-in (等持院)

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Toji-in was founded in 1338 by Lord Ashikaga as a family temple, under supervision of priest Soseki Muso who was then one of the most famous landscape gardener (and who later founded Tenryu-ji). The garden of Toji-in is one of the few surviving gardens designed by Soseki.

The main garden is divided in two parts. The western one, called the "lotus pond" is closest to the main temple buildings and organized around the winding pond. slightly above the garden is a well known tea house ("Seiren-tei"). This part of the garden also has numerous satsuki and tsutsuji rhododendrons which give a nice pink/red colour touch in late spring. The second, eastern part of the garden has taller trees and is thus much darker. It is a place of moss and maple trees, and is thus most beautiful in autumn. South of the main hall is another smaller garden, of the "dry landscape" type (karesansui - 枯山水).

Toji-in is located right south of the Ritsumeikan University which is one of the major campus in Kyoto. Combined with its proximity with Ryoan-ji one may think that it is a busy temple, but in fact Toji-in is remarkably quiet.

Recommended for: Access: 500 円

Nearby: Ryōan-ji 龍安寺 (580m), Chōkei-in 長慶院 (700m), Keishun-in 桂春院 (760m), Tenkyū-in 天球院 (780m), Hirano-jinja 平野神社 (810m), Kingyū-in 金牛院 (820m), Yotoku-in 養徳院 (830m), Daiō-in 大雄院 (830m), Chishō-in 智勝院 (840m), Rinshō-in 麟祥院 (890m),...

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

Keywords: Japan, 日本, Japon, Kyoto, 京都, Ukyo-ku, 等持院, Toji-in, temple, 寺院, 仏閣

Statistics: visited on 15 occasions, id 413, 49 photos (91 extra photos can be found in the archive).

Photos of Tōji-in:

Monk-shaped incense burner, Toji-in temple
Gate and rock garden in Toji-in temple
Stone water basin with bamboo spring and ladle, Toji-in temple
Stone water basin with bamboo ladle, Toji-in temple tea room
Tea room in the middle of a zen garden, Toji-in temple
Tsukubai hiding behind a very old tea house in Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Toji-in temple's tea house and garden, Kyoto, Japan
Toji-in temple pond garden during satsuki azalea blooming season, Kyoto, Japan
Pure red maple foliage at the entrance of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Green maccha tea and sweet with view on snow-covered zen garden, Toji-in temple, Kyoto
Show covered tea garden, Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Rhododendron pink colors dotting the garden of Toji-in temple and its tea house in Kyoto, Japan
Lone rhododendron blooming in Toji-in temple rock garden, Kyoto, Japan
Moss-covered tsukubai water basin with ladle with tea house in the distance, Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Satsuki rhododendrons blooming in the garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Architectural detail of a tea room in Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Old tea room interior with tsukubai hiding in a corner, Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Stone bridge leading to tea house in Toji-in temple garden during rhododendron season, Kyoto, Japan
Spring foliage around the pond garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Hangesho season in the pond garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
The hangesho is a unique flower that gets its color mostly from its whitening leaves (Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan)
Hangesho blooming at the foot of a pine tree in Toji-in temple garden, Kyoto, Japan
Row of koi carps sheltering from the sun under a stone bridge in Toji-in temple garden, Kyoto, Japan
Touches of red and orange autumn colors around Toji-in temple thatched roofed tea house, Kyoto, Japan
Touches of autumn colours around the tea house of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Red maple trees leaning over Toji-in garden pond, Kyoto, Japan
Red maple colours around the pond of Toji-in temple garden, Kyoto, Japan
Red maple tree and wooden bridge on the old garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Young maple trees turning all red around the pond of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Multi-coloured maple trees in the pond garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Autumn colours over the pond garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Sunny autumn day in the rock garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Last light on the rock garden of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Perfect rock garden with red maple tree in Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Ladies in kimono leaving the tea room of Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Old tea room with thatched roof, Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Sunlight peeking through autumn foliage in Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan
Red maple branch, Toji-in temple, Kyoto, Japan