Komyo-in Temple: A Zen Garden Retreat

Komyo-in Temple, nestled in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward, is a sub-temple of the larger Tofuku-ji Temple, offering a tranquil retreat from the city's bustle. Founded in 1391 by Kinzan Minsho, it was later revived in 1911. The temple is celebrated for its stunning Zen gardens, particularly the 'Hashin-no-Niwa' (Garden of the Heart's Reflection), designed in 1939 by the renowned landscape architect Shigemori Mirei. The 'Hashin-no-Niwa' is a karesansui, or dry landscape garden, featuring carefully arranged rocks, moss, and white sand to evoke a sense of peace and harmony. The garden incorporates 75 stones that represent the light emitted from the Buddha. Three prominent stone arrangements symbolize the Shaka, Yakushi, and Amida Buddha triads. Mirei also designed the Ragetsu-an teahouse, which appears as the moon rising in the eastern sky when viewed from the Hashin-no-Niwa garden. The temple is also known as 'Niji no Kokedera' or Rainbow Moss Temple, because of the moss's beauty during the cherry blossom and autumn leaf seasons. Visitors can explore interconnected rooms that offer unique perspectives of the garden. The principal image enshrined in the Main Hall is a gilded statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. Komyo-in provides a space for quiet contemplation and an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Zen Buddhist aesthetics.