18/01/2014

Beautiful Shoren-in Temple, Kyoto

A superb mixture of old and new

Por Larry Knipfing

Community writer

The garden; simple and serene

One of the five giant 800 year old camphor trees in the temple

A peak into a prayer hall

The temple has many wide open tatami rooms like this, decorated with a stunningly beautiful lotus motif

Lotus and dragonfly, painted directly onto the sliding doors between rooms

What a perfect place to have a writing desk

I'm not sure what it is, but it is oh so lovely!

A very beautiful altar

There are many wood walkways like this one in each building

The early morning light was soft and soothing

Up the hill I found this small shrine containing two clever foxes

The temple bell in the corner of the yard

The lighting was still beautiful as I was leaving the temple

Although not many people visit Shoren-in Temple (and garden), those in the know call it one of the most beautiful in Kyoto. I went there on the morning of December 31, and it was practically empty, which suited me just fine. Built in the late 13th Century, part of the temple's fame comes from its connections over the centuries to the Royal Family. The buildings are laid out around a central garden and pond. Rooms are wide and spacious and beautiful. The wood is dark and old, and there are a lot of reds to match the darkness of the wood. Colorful lotus door paintings are a delight! A path winds its way up through a bamboo grove and, at the top, provides a splendid view of the surrounding countryside.

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Larry Knipfing

Por Larry Knipfing

Community writer

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