Kamakura Zuisen-ji Temple in Autumn

Simple rock garden designed for Zen practice

Tomoko Kamishima Dec 05, 2013 - 1 min read

<p>Zuisen-ji Temple and the rock garden</p>

<p>Rock garden showing strict and severe face of Muso Soseki</p>

<p>The leaves have turned a brilliant red</p>

<p>Caves for Zen practice, and a pond</p>

<p>Stone pavement to Zuisen-ji Temple</p>

Priest Muso Soseki built this rock garden at Zuisen-ji Temple in Kamakura for his Zen practice, and it shows his strict and severe face. At the downfall of the Kamakura Period (1333), Muso Soseki opened the doors of the temple for all the wounded samurai and their families who escaped from the war. He and his followers took care of them, and the temple became much like a field hospital. Ten years later, he built more relaxing gardens in Kyoto, at Saiho-ji and Tenryu-ji Temple.

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Tomoko Kamishima @tomoko.kamishima

Japan is a small island nation, but we have a huge number of surprising things to discover here. Many of these delights can be found when you step off the main street onto small side paths. I really enjoy studying about and researching various aspects of traditional Japanese culture, and then sha...