Autumn at Daikaku Temple

Enjoy the colors at Osawa Pond

Justin Velgus Feb 13, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>Viewing Daikakuji from the opposite side of Osawa Pond</p>

<p>Inside Daikakuji, looking into the inner garden</p>

<p>Withered lotus flower petals on the pond on an autumn day</p>

<p>Several stone Buddhist statues nestled quietly under a tree</p>

<p>The autumn evening wraps around the statues, producing their progressively thicker shadows</p>

<p>It seems some event was happening during my visit</p>

<p>The path which circles Osawa Pond</p>

<p>The shadows against autumn leaves provide the perfect contrast</p>

<p>Mt. Arashi reflected in Osawa Pond</p>

<p>The sun illuminates the reds and yellows of ginkgo tree leaves which have fallen onto the path</p>

<p>Daikakuji was a villa of Emperor Saga</p>

Daikakuji is a temple founded by Emperor Saga. It is located in Sagano in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto City. Originally, this place was a riyku (villa) of Emperor Saga, but thirty years after the Emperor's death in Jogan 18 (876), the late Emperor's daughter, Princess Seishinai Shin'noh, revised the plans of the palace to construct a temple. However, years later Emperor Kameyama and Emperor Gouda, which had become a monk, lived at the temple as cloistered Emperors. The temple took main stage in Japanese history at that time.

It is said Emperor Saga built Osawa Pond to imitate Doutei Lake (洞庭湖) in China. You can see traces of Chinese design here, courtesy of the envoys to Tang China bringing back Chinese documents. Osawa Pond is not just a decoration or accessory to Daikaku Temple. It should also be noted it served the purpose of irrigation to nearby agricultural fields.

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Find out more about Daikakuji Temple.

Justin Velgus @justin.velgus

Justin Velgus (ジャスティンベルガス) is the Miyagi Prefecture expert for Japan Travel and a long-term contributor since 2012 with a focus on the Tohoku region. Justin has written extensively for JT, and other publications such as VisitMiyagi and Sake Today, amassing over 350 published articles...