Private tour in Kyoto Brian V
up to 6 people
3 hours 30 minutes
Walking
1
Brian V.
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Kyoto has some of the most beautiful Zen temple gardens in the world. However, many gardens are now overrun by tourists. Fortunately, there are still some less visited Zen temples whose gardens can be seen as they were designed - quietly and without the crowds. Many of these gardens are located in the temple compound of Daitokuji, a major Rinzai Zen monastic complex founded in 1319. Three of the Zen temple gardens in this compound are open year around to the public and others on an occasional basis. The tour always includes visits to Ryogen-in, Zuiho-in, and Daisen-in. Daisen-in's gardens, for example, wrap around the temple building and are considered among the best examples of their kind. One of the gardens is designed to resemble a Chinese landscape painting with vertical stones representing towering mountains and islands divided by white sand waterfalls and streams which appear to flow through to the temple's other gardens.
Entering Daitokuji, we first visit buildings associated with the temple proper - the Imperial Messenger's Gate, massive Mountain Gate and Buddha Hall. Thereafter, we visit Ryogen-in sub-temple, built in 1502. Its meditation hall is the oldest in Japan, and it also has Japan's smallest Zen garden. There are actually several gardens to view here, all of which have deep symbolic meanings attached to them. The first is the Kodatei garden whose whirling patterns are said to represent the inhalation and exhalation of breath. This is fitting inasmuch as focusing on the breath is the first step of Zen meditation practice. We also visit Zuiho-in. It was built in 1535 as the family temple of a feudal lord, and Christian, Otomo Sorin. The temple is famous for its "Garden of the Cross" because when viewed from its southeast corner the rocks form a diagonal cross. Finally, we visit Daisen-in whose elaborate Zen garden is one of the most famous in Japan. Lunch at Izusen, a Zen restaurant on the temple grounds, is optional
Contact your local guide to know more!!
Walking
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide: We meet in front of the information booth at the temple's main gate, located on the southeast side of Daitokuji.
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Book with a 20% deposit!
Size:
up to 6 people
Duration:
3 hours 30 minutes
Transportation:
Walking
1
Book with a 20% deposit!
Size:
up to 6 people
Duration:
3 hours 30 minutes
Transportation:
Walking
1
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