Fifteen stones and white sand express the world of the Zen faith
The rock garden at Ryuanji Temple is one of Kyoto’s most famous attractions, and has become so popular that its name has become synonymous with Japanese rock gardens around the world. The temple and its gardens have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and are a must-visit during your trip to Kyoto.
Great activities and sights
- Stone water basin in the back garden
- A tour of the temple grounds and enjoying its splendid appearance in the cherry blossom season
- It is best to visit the museum right after it opens or a little before closing time to enjoy the peace
quick Facts
Ryuanji Temple has been the subject of a large number of books, featured in many photographs, and is even mentioned in musical works by composer John Cage.
The gate to the left of the garden is intended for the Emperor alone, but Queen Elizabeth entered it during her visit in 1975
How to reach
The temple can be reached by train or bus.
Ryoanji Temple is a 10-minute walk from Ryoan-ji Station on the Kifuku Kitano Line. You can also take Bus No. 59 from Sanju Kaihan Station to Ryuan-ji-mae Bus Stand. You can get a ticket valid for one or two days that allows you to ride buses and metro within the city without a maximum number of times.
A quiet haven for the aristocracy
The origins of the rock garden are still a mystery, but what we do know is that the temple itself was originally a villa of the Fujiwara family, and then in 1450 it was turned into a temple belonging to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect, one of the sects of Zen Buddhism.
There is reason to believe that there was a different garden here before the fire that destroyed the temple in 1779; The existing park also dates back to the late 1700’s.
A whole world between rocks and sand
The secret behind the design of the garden in this simple form, consisting of fifteen stones of different sizes on a background of white sand, remains a mystery that no one has discovered since its inception until today.
Some believe that it symbolizes a group of mountains prominent in the middle of a wide sea, while some believe that it represents a female tiger and her cubs on a journey crossing a river. On the other hand, Zen followers will tell you that they are just stones and sand placed to encourage free thinking.
A different view of the world
The fifteen garden stones are intricately arranged so that one of them remains hidden from view, whatever angle the viewer looks from, a reference to a Chinese concept of the number fifteen as a symbol of perfection. Because perfection is not human nature, we will never be able to see all the stones from our shorter perspective.
A witty, deep-meaning verbal pun
You will meet another mystery in the small garden behind the temple, there is a small rocky water basin at a low height that forces everyone who comes to fetch water for the tea ceremony to bow in submission.
This round basin was made in the form of an ancient Chinese coin, and four characters were engraved on its side, which do not mean anything when read alone, but if they are combined with the square in the middle of the basin (which is the shape of the Japanese letter for the word “mouth”), the meaning of this round basin changes. The four letters into a sentence that reads, “One knows that he only gets what he needs.”
Avoid crowds
If you are a fan of enjoying peace and quiet moments of contemplation in the garden, then we advise you to arrive just before the opening of the temple in the morning; As you mean the temple huge numbers of visitors throughout the day. After you’ve meditated, enjoy a picnic in the huge traditional gardens, or head to the nearby restaurant for a bowl of Kyoto-style tofu.
