Saionji in Kyoto

Unusual dry garden, painted statues and brooms

Por Cathy Cawood

Community writer

Ornate statues displayed in one of the temple buildings

Each of these statues has a cup, so maybe the tea is for them

Curious creature with trunk, tusks, and... curls?!

One of two paper lanterns hanging on a shrine

Bell with rope for visitors to ring before praying

Small mounds of stones were positioned on moss in the garden

Straw brooms lying on the temple verandah

There were three striking things about this temple in northern Kyoto. The first was the piles of stones arranged in the garden. I suppose it was a kind of dry garden (kare san sui). Another interesting thing was a number of brush brooms lying on the verandah. It was the end of autumn, yet they looked new. Perhaps the monks were making them. The final thing was the exquisite little painted statues on display behind a wooden lattice. They looked old and valuable, the sort of thing that should be hidden away and protected from bright sunshine and cameras. I was grateful for the opportunity to see them!