Tenryu-ji Temple

Famous garden with a borrowed view of Arashiyama and powerful ceiling paintings

It is the head temple of the Tenryu-ji school of the Rinzai sect and was built on the site of Kameyama-dono Palace in 1339 by Takauji ASHIKAGA to pray for the soul of the Emperor Godaigo. It is also famous as the first temple in Japan to be designated as a historic site or special place of scenic beauty. The powerful Unryu-zu on the ceiling of the Hatto and the Daruma-zu on the screen at the front entrance of the Kuri are must-sees.
The photograph shows the Sogen-chi Garden made by Muso Soseki, the first chief priest and the first garden designer in Japan. It was the first place in Japan to be designated as a historic site and a special place of scenic beauty.

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  Muso Kokushi, the founder of Tenryu-ji Temple: Unryu-zu painted by the Japanese-style painter Matazo KAZAN as a memorial project for his imina in 650.

• Seasonal

  You can visit Unryu-zu, a Buddhist temple built in 2024, every day on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays and during the special exhibition (March 2 - July 17, August 10 - 18, September 7 - December 1).

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  Daruma-zu (a painting of Bodhidharma) that greets worshippers at the reception desk of each hall. The motif is Daruma Daishi, the founder of the Zen sect.

• Official website