Myōren-ji Temple
妙蓮寺
This old Nichiren Buddhist temple in Kyoto is worth visiting for its unique rock garden and seasonal art.
What it is
- One of Kyoto's oldest Nichiren Buddhist temples.
- Founded in 1294 by priest Nichizo.
- Stands in its current location since 1587.
What to see
- Arhat rock garden with 16 dark rocks and white gravel.
- Fusuma sliding panels in the Shoin building.
- Paintings of plants, animals, and nature themes.
- Artworks by Kono Yutaka from the 1980s.
When to go
- Paintings appear beautiful when viewed in their respective season.
- Maple tree depiction is rich in color in November light.
In detail
Myorenji Temple is one of the oldest Nichiren Buddhist temples in Kyoto. It was founded in 1294 by the priest Nichizo (1269–1342), who had been entrusted with missionary work in Kyoto by Nichiren (1222–1282), the founder of the Nichiren school. The temple has stood in its current location since 1587, but most of its buildings were reconstructed after a fire devastated the neighborhood in 1788.
Myorenji is noted for its Arhat rock garden, in which 16 dark rocks rise from a sea of impeccably raked white gravel. The rocks signify the bodhisattvas that bring salvation in the Lotus Sutra, on which the teachings of the Nichiren school are based. The garden is thought to have been constructed in the early 1600s, and was recently restored to its original appearance.
The fusuma sliding panels in the Shoin building facing the garden feature paintings of plants, animals, and other nature themes. These works, painted in the 1980s by Kono Yutaka, express the changing seasons and are conceived to appear particularly beautiful when viewed in the light of their respective season. For example, the depiction of red leaves on a maple tree reveals its full richness of color in the low-angled light of a November day.
Text: 観光庁 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース. Reproduced unchanged. The notes above were written from that text by Japan Gems.
Where it is
京都府京都市上京区寺之内通大宮東入る妙蓮寺前町875 Open in Google Maps
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