Ryosoku-in is a temple of the Kenninji School of Rinzai Zen Buddhism and a sub-temple of Kenninji Temple. The principal image of the temple is the Amida Nyorai. It was built in the Kamakura period as Chisokuin Temple, founded by Zen priest Ryuzan Tokken.
After a fire during the Tenmon period (1532 – 1555), the temple was merged with Ryosoku-in, which had been built separately and renamed Ryosoku-in after the name of the temple.
Ryosoku-in Gardens
The front garden of Hojo in Ryosoku-in is a karesansui-style garden.
The front garden of the Shoin is a garden with a pond and a circular path. Kyoto prefectural government has designated it as one of scenic gardens in Kyoto.
During the rainy season, a plant called hangesho (Saururus chinensis) grows around the garden pond. So people in Kyoto often call the Temple the “temple of hangesho”. The garden is open to the public every year around the season of hangesho.
On the north side of the pond is the “Water Pavilion”, a copy of the Nyoan style favored by Oda Arirakusai, the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, and to the right is another tea house “Rinchi-tei”, with a 6-tatami room seating area.
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[…] reduction of the temple grounds by nearly half. Currently the number of sub-temples is 15. They are Ryosoku-in Temple, Shoden Eigen-in Temple, Reigen-in Temple, Rokudochinkoji Temple, and […]