Beautiful Shoren-in Temple, Kyoto

A superb mixture of old and new

Larry Knipfing Jan 18, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>One of the five giant 800 year old camphor trees in the temple</p>

<p>The temple has many wide open tatami rooms like this, decorated with a stunningly beautiful lotus motif</p>

<p>Lotus and dragonfly, painted directly onto the sliding doors between rooms</p>

<p>What a perfect place to have a writing desk</p>

<p>I'm not sure what it is, but it is oh so lovely!</p>

<p>There are many wood walkways like this one in each building</p>

<p>The early morning light was soft and soothing</p>

<p>Up the hill I found this small shrine containing two clever foxes</p>

<p>The temple bell in the corner of the yard</p>

<p>The lighting was still beautiful as I was leaving the temple</p>

Although not many people visit Shoren-in Temple (and garden), those in the know call it one of the most beautiful in Kyoto. I went there on the morning of December 31, and it was practically empty, which suited me just fine. Built in the late 13th Century, part of the temple's fame comes from its connections over the centuries to the Royal Family. The buildings are laid out around a central garden and pond. Rooms are wide and spacious and beautiful. The wood is dark and old, and there are a lot of reds to match the darkness of the wood. Colorful lotus door paintings are a delight! A path winds its way up through a bamboo grove and, at the top, provides a splendid view of the surrounding countryside.

Larry Knipfing @larry.knipfing

Born on Long Island, New York in 1958, I have spent the last 30 years of my life living in Japan, and enjoying every minute of it! I especially love photography, and Japan is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world to photograph! My other love is fiction writing and I have pub...