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DAY 3 (2/7): NANZENJI (南禅寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan, 2016.12.05

After the peaceful stroll in the nearby neighborhood, we approached the Sammon Gate (三門) from its side. Built in 1628, the enormous 5-bay Sammon Gate stood proudly at the entrance plaza of Nanzenji Temple. The timber structure of the Sammon Gate darkened as it aged. The reddish tone of the wood matched well with the autumn foliage. Sammon, or triple gate, is a common feature of a Zen Buddhist temple. It is the short form for sangedatsumon (三解脱門) or gate of three liberation. To obtain liberation and achieve enlightenment, Zen Buddhism believes the three liberation: to understand that nothing in this world has a distinctive character, therefore there is no fixed form, and as a result there is nothing in this world to be sought after. The staff wasn’t there so we didn’t get a chance to climb up to the upper deck. From the Sammon Gate, we walked straight into the middle courtyard where a number of pine and beautiful maple trees stood. In the middle, the Hatto or Dharma (法堂) was not open to the public. We could only circle the building from the outside.

The Sammon Gate (三門) of Nanzenji is one of the biggest in temple gate in Kyoto.

Close up of a timber column of Nanzenji’s Sammon Gate (三門).

There are five bays in Nanzenji’s Sammon Gate.

The majestic Sammon as seen from inside the compound.

Hatto or Dharma (法堂), the large lecture hall, was not open to the public.

We then made a turn to the right side of Hatto, reaching a uniquely long structure, Suiro-kaku Aqueduct (水路閣). The arched brick structure was built in the Meiji Period (1889) as part of the water infrastructure that brought water from Lake Biwa to Kyoto. Today, the Suiro-kaku still maintains as the only Western style aqueduct in the city. Standing 93m in length, 4m wide, and 14m high, the aqueduct bisects the temple complex into two. Originally seen as a clash with the Buddhist structures, the skeptical Kyoto citizens soon became fond of the new addition to Nanzenji. Today, the Suiro-kaku Aqueduct has been designated a national historical site, an integral component of the temple ground of Nanzenji.

Constructed in late 19th century, the Suiro-kaku (水路閣) Aqueduct passes through the compound of Nanzenji.

The red brick archways of the Suiro-kaku (水路閣).

The magnificent design details of the Suiro-kaku (水路閣).

Behind the Hatto stood the Hojo (方丈) or abbot’s quarter. The Hojo turned out to be a great place to check out karesansui or dry rock gardens. Ohojo Garden, the karesansui or dry landscape rock garden of the Hojo, contained six stones of various sizes, abstractly depicting a tiger cub crossing a river. The garden was created by Enshu Kobori in the Kanei Era (1624-1644). Another dry garden in the Hojo was Kohojo Garden (小方丈庭園). Constructed in the model times (1966), this dry garden aimed to illustrate the Chinese character of “heart”. Further into the complex we arrived at Rokudo-tei Garden (六道庭), a series of Zen gardens created by Ueyakato Landscape Co,. Ltd.in 1967. This garden was much larger and aimed to conceptualize the Buddhist concept of “reincarnation in six realms” into the garden design. We wandered in the gardens a bit and moved on to visit other sub-temples in the compound.

One of the rooms in the Hojo (方丈) or abbot’s quarter with screens open to the attractive Zen garden.

Timber screens and veranda of the Hojo.

Kohojo Garden (小方丈庭園), created by Ueyakato Landscape (植彌加藤造園) in 1966, depicts the Chinese character of heart.

Detail of a stone and the ripple gravel pattern in the Kohojo Garden (小方丈庭園).

Ohojo Garden (方丈庭園) was created by Enshu Kobori (伝小堀遠州) in the 17th century.

Vivid maple and moss covered rocks at the Ohojo Garden (方丈庭園), a dry landscape rock garden that abstractly depicts a tiger cub crossing a river.

Rokudo-tei Garden (六道庭), by Ueyakato Landscape Co,. Ltd.(植彌加藤造園) in 1967, expresses the Buddhist concept of “reincarnation in six realms”.

Rokudo-tei Garden (六道庭)

A tea ceremony house was called Kyushin-tei.

Rain chain at the veranda of the Hojo.

The tea room of the Hojo was not open yet when we left the building.

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February 2, 2017 | Categories: Japan, Japan: Kyoto and Nara 2016, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: abbot, aqueduct, Buddhism, Buddhist, Enshu Kobori, garden, gozan, Hatto, Higashiyama, Hojo, Japan, karesansui, Kohojo, Kyoto, Nanzenji, Ohojo, rock, Rokudo-tei, Sammon, Temple, Ueyakato, zen, 六道庭, 南禅寺, 小方丈庭園, 方丈庭園, 水路閣, 三門, 京都五山, 伝小堀遠州 | Leave a comment

DAY 2 (4/6): ○△□ and Chouontei Garden and Ceiling of Twin Dragons, KENNINJI TEMPLE (建仁寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan, 2016.12.04

Claimed to be the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Kenninji Temple (建仁寺) is a Buddhist temple famous for its zen gardens and traditional paintings in Gion (祇園). Kenninji was founded in 1202 by Buddhist priest Eisai/Yousai (明菴栄西). Two times Yousai went to China and brought back with him Zen scriptures and tea seeds, from which Zen Buddhism and the practice of green tea drinking flourished in Japan ever since. As a result, Yousai was also considered to be the founder of the tea ceremony in Japan. Since the 14th century, Kenninji was considered one of the five most important Zen Buddhist temples in Kyoto, known as the Gozan (五山十刹制度) or the Five Mountain System. Today, Kenninji stands at third in this ranking system, behind Tenryuji (天龍寺) and Shokokuji (相国寺), and ahead of Tofukuji (東福寺) and Manjuji (万寿寺). On top of this five temples is Nanzenji, which serves as the leading Zen Buddhist temple in today’s Kyoto.

Today, with its meditation gardens, ancient teahouse, and timber halls, Kenninji serves as a tranquil oasis in the busy and dense neighborhood of Gion. We entered the Kenninji compound from its North Gate at Hanamikoji Dori. Once inside, we took off our shoes and paid our admission at Hojo (方丈). Inside Hojo, one of the most popular art work on display was “Fujin and Raijin”, a pair of two-folded screen depicting the Wind and Thunder Gods by Tawaraya Sotatsu (俵屋宗達) from the early 17 century. The dry landscape garden in front of Hojo was also quite impressive, so as the traditional paintings on the sliding doors of the building, including the Cloud Dragon (雲龍図) and Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (竹林七賢図). But for us, the most amazing artwork at Kenninji was Twin Dragons (双龍図), a 11.4m x 15.7m ceiling mural by Koizumi Junsaku in the Hatto (法堂), or Dharma Hall to celebrate the 800-year anniversary of the temple. Completed in 2002, it took Koizumi Junsaku two years to finish this enormous ceiling painting in the gymnasium of an elementary school in Hokkaido.

Also worth noting was the Toyobo Tea-house, a two mat tea room dated back to the 16th century. We peeked through an opening into the tea-house and saw a simple interior with tatami flooring and a semi-open partition supported by a natural wooden branch as column. Before leaving, we spent a considerable period of time at Choontei Garden (潮音庭), a beautifully constructed zen garden surrounded by wooden verandas. At Choontei, there were three stones at the centre of the courtyard, representing Buddha and two Zen monks. Choontei was also the perfect courtyard to sit on the veranda and admire the autumn maples. On our way out, we passed by another small courtyard which named as ○△□. The serene garden introduces landscape components such as a tree in circular planter or a square area of gravel as visual representations of ○△□, which symbolized water, fire and earth. The spiritual experience of the gardens, the lovely visual palette of the dark timber, green moss and crimson maples, and the refreshing breeze and warm sunlight enabled us to enjoy a moment of meditation. Leaving this tranquil dimension, we would meander through Gion, cross the picturesque Kamo River, and enter the busy streets of Downtown Kyoto.

Entering the Hojo (方丈) Hall, which was built in 1599.