Inside of many Japanese temples there are beautiful gardens, some of them real landscape jewels, created in small spaces. One of these gardens, created over 400 years ago by a well known artist, Kobori Enshu, can be visited inside the Kodaiji Temple from Kyoto.

The garden is built around a small pond located between the Kaizando Hall (in the forefront of the photo) and the Main Building (Houjyo), and can be admired from the Moon Viewing Pavilion (Kangetsudai), the covered bridge on the right of the photo. With elements specific to the tsukiyama Japanese gardens (a man-made hill, rocks, a stone lantern, several trees) and with the red-flowered crape myrtle, this garden has a particular charm during the blooming season.

Kodaiji Temple Garden, Higashiyama, Kyoto

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: The frogs from Meoto Iwa