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Daitoku-ji Zuihō-in
大徳寺 瑞峯院

Yet another temple established as a family temple in the mid-sixteenth century, Zuihō-in’s history is noteworthy that its founder was the Daimyō Ōtomo Yoshihige (1530–87), a converted Christian with the adopted name of Francisco — until the religion was banned by authorities.
While the buildings have never burnt down, the gardens are of much more recent history. The south-facing Dokuza garden (独坐庭) facing the Hōjō building consists of a quite dynamic element of stone and moss against a sea of gravel. It is said to resemble a peninsula from the mythical lands of Mount Penglai (jp. Hōrai). This garden is a joy to see especially on cold snowy winter mornings. The east-facing Kanmin garden (閑眠庭), on the other hand, was constructed to resemble a Christian cross, in reference to the family history of its founder — a feature I have failed to notice as of writing this text. Finally, the inner courtyard garden is a bit more complex compared to Ryōgen-in, but equally fascinating to see on snow mornings. As with Ryōgen-in, this temple is open year-round and allows photography.

Admission: open year-round.
Nearby places of interest: Kōrin-in, Ōbai-in, Ryōgen-in, Kōtō-in.

Shinnyodo 2017.jpg

Snow waves.

Summer 夏
Winter 冬

© 2018-24 Patrick Vierthaler. Last Updated: 14 December 2024 (JCT).

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