Ryoanji Temple

A mysterious garden where you will find yourself asking questions

This Zen temple of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, Myoshinji School, was founded in 1450 by Hosokawa Katsumoto, a powerful figure in the Muromachi shogunate. It gained worldwide fame when Queen Elizabeth II praised its rock garden in 1975. The date of the rock garden's creation and who created it are unknown, and it has become a mysterious garden that has given rise to various speculations.
The rock garden is made up of 15 stones arranged in five groups, and some say that it uses Western techniques such as the golden ratio and perspective.

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  The Mirror Pond, which reflects the trees like a mirror, is said to be one of Kyoto's three great mirror ponds.

• CHECKPOINT

  This world-famous garden was praised by Queen Elizabeth II. It reflects Zen philosophy, with 15 rocks that are said to be impossible to view at the same time.

• Official website