Ryosoku-in (兩足院) is a sub-temple in the Kennin-ji temple complex. Only a couple sub-temples can be visited in Kennin-ji, and Ryosoku-in is one of them. It may be a bit arduous though, for the temple can only be visited during special opening days or, if you reserve, for zen meditation sessions. The later option is of course an interesting experience (all in Japanese...) but doesn't really allow time for photography.
If you plan to visit during a special opening, do try to come in late June or early July, when the saururus chinensis(hangesho - 半夏生) are blooming. The plant flowers are atually pretty bland, but its upper leaves turn white, giving the impression of a much larger floral display. The central feature of the 'rear garden' (also called shoinzentei, "the garden in front of the scripture room" 書院前庭) is a pond which is surrounded by these 'flowers'. The saururus chinensis is not particularly popular in Japanese gardens, and certainly not in these numbers, so Ryosoku-in is your best bet if you're interested in these strange bushes. The only other place where I saw them was in Nison-in.
The areas that are visitable in Ryosoku-in vary from season to season. Again, the early summer special visit is best for the whole grounds are open to the public, including the two tea houses in the back of the garden. There's a little extra fee to visit those, but it also allows you to have a stroll around the pond and have a closer look at these strange white 'flowers'. Recommended for: Access: 800 円 Nearby: Seirai-in 西来院 (40m), Daichū-in 大中院 (100m), Yasui Kompira-gū 安井金比羅宮 (120m), Reigen-in 霊源院 (150m), Kyūshō-in 久昌院 (170m), Zenkyo-an 禅居庵 (180m), Daitō-in 大統院 (190m), Shōdeneigen-in 正伝永源院 (210m), Marishisonten-dō 摩利支尊天堂 (230m), Saifuku-ji 西福寺 (280m),... External links: Website, 京都風光, Satellite view, Map Keywords: Japan, 日本, Japon, Kyoto, 京都, Higashiyama, Kennin-ji, 建仁寺, temple, 寺院, 仏閣, Ryosoku-in, 兩足院 Statistics: visited on 6 occasions, id 223, 17 photos (28 extra photos can be found in the archive). |
