In the hillside of western Kyōto, is a Shingon branch temple in the tradition of Tō-ji with its roots in the eight century. Reaching the temple, the visitor first crosses a red bridge before a short climb towards the entrance. There, to the right, a red hexagonal pagoda (遍照塔) constructed to commemorate the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05) awaits.
Entering the main temple, you walk through a karesansui-style garden with some maple foliage before entering the main hall.
From the main hall, a picturesque garden featuring both a pond and a dry landscape invites to sit down. In the center of the garden, a massive weeping cherry tree mightily stands, perfectly contrasting with Kyōto City beyond the garden as a borrowed landscape. Quite far from my home, it took me over 4 years to first venture there, but personally, this garden is among my favorite ones in all of Kyōto. Photo-wise, as the garden faces east, the light may be best around 11AM in spring, with the sun quickly moving south, thereby putting the area in shade thereafter.
Asides from the main garden, several plum trees are scattered around the grounds, and various small stones and stone gardens remain to be discovered here and there.

Nearby places of interest: Ōharano Shrine, Shōji-ji
Admission: open year-round.