Enkō-ji (圓光寺)

Enkō-ji (圓光寺)

Enkoji (圓光寺 or 円光寺) is located almost right north of Shisen-do (詩仙道). It was founded by zen priest Genkitsu in 1601, in the Fushimi area (Genkitsu actually started a few other temples across Japan). Enko-ji moved to the premises of Shokokuji (相国寺) and finally to its present location in 1667. The temple edited many classic books, and about 50.000 wooden printing types used for these publications are conserved in the temple.

At the entrance of the temple and its garden is a "suikinkutsu", a water basin which drips in an underground chamber, each drop making a nice metallic sound. You will have to put your ears close to the bamboo pipes to hear it though. According to the pamphlet the pond in the garden is the "oldest in northern Kyoto", but I'm not sure what they mean by "oldest pond". Maybe the oldest pond used in a zen garden?

As with all maple tree gardens, they are best viewed (and photographed!) in spring and autumn, for the "aomomiji" (green young leaves) and the standard "momiji" respectively. During your tour of the garden, a path climbs to an upper cemetery bordered by tall pine trees. Aside from the garden, the main hall has nice sliding doors with paintings of bamboo on them. There is also a tea room located at the deep end of the hall. You cannot enter it, but it shouldn't stop you from taking a picture ;-)

Recommended for: Access: 600 円

Nearby: Nobotoke-an 野仏庵 (80m), Hachidai-jinja 八大神社 (160m), Shisen-dō 詩仙堂 (160m), Konpuku-ji 金福寺 (370m), Saginomori-jinja 鷺森神社 (520m), Tanukidani-san Fudō-in 狸谷山不動院‎ (620m), Manshuin 曼殊院 (680m), the Kansai Seminar House 関西セミナーハウス (890m), Zenka-in 禅華院 (900m), the Shūgaku-in Imperial Villa 修学院離宮 (1.1km),...

External links: Website, 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, 南左京, Sakyo-ku, temple, Enko-ji, 寺院, 仏閣

Statistics: visited on 24 occasions, id 173, 42 photos (137 extra photos can be found in the archive).

In Enkō-ji:

Tea ceremony (茶会)
Tea ceremony (茶会)
 
Photos of Enkō-ji:

Tea room (Enkoji 園光寺)
Stone lantern in automnal garden, Enko-ji temple
Zen garden in autumn from meditation hall, Enko-ji temple (2/4)
Sunny autumn evening in the colorful garden of Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
The cutest jizo in the entire known universe with bonus autumn colors, Kyoto, Japan
Red autumn colours around cutest jizo statue and his bright yellow maple leaf hat, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Lone little pink azalea bush on rock garden, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Sunny early autumn day in Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Main hall with view on early autumn colors in Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Overlooking the multi-coloured autumn foliage of Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Happy jizo statue with autumn colours, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Red maple leaves adorning tsukubai water basin with pine ladle, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Cute jizo statue with large snow hat in Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Snow covered zen garden, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto
Tsukbaki flower decorating a snowy tsukubai water basin in Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
The entrance of Enko-ji temple on a snowy day, Kyoto, Japan
Ladle and flower over tsukubai water basin in Enkō-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Little cute jizo statue amidst fresh green moss, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
The main hall of Enko-ji temple and its amazing autumn colors, Kyoto, Japan
Little jizo statue among fallen maple leaves, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto
Tsukubai water basin with autumn decoration, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto
Tsukubai water basin with autumn decoration, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto
Roof lines and magical autumn colours in Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Aerial view of the fiery colors of Enko-ji garden in autumn, Kyoto, Japan
The amazing autumn colours of Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Magnificent autumn colours fro the main hall of Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Taking pictures of a large tsukubai water basin with autumnal decorations in Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Roof tiles recycled as cloud features in rock garden, Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Entrance of Enko-ji temple garden in autumn, Kyoto, Japan
Dragonfly inlaid in concrete slab at the entrance of Enko-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Entrance of Enko-ji temple garden, Kyoto, Japan
Quiet simplicity of a zen garden, Enkoji temple, Kyoto, Japan