Description

This seldom-visited temple, as at Entsuji, Joju-in and Shugakuin Imperial Villa, has a garden featuring shakkei or 'borrowed scenery.' As at Entsuji, the garden uses Mount Hiei as a backdrop to a contemplation garden, but here the similarity ends. This is a dry garden (kare sansui) despite the presence of shaped azalea bushes in place of the usual rocks. As at Ryoanji, these bushes are grouped in a seven-five-three formation. These are auspicious numbers for the Japanese, as can be witnessed in the Shichi-Go-San [Seven-Five-Three Festival on 15th November] in which girls of three and seven years old and boys of five visit shrines and temples all over Japan. Pristine and quiet, albeit small, this garden is well worth the trip for the connoisseur.