"Nanzenji Temple" Nanzenji Temple Tip by SallyM

Nanzenji is the head temple of the Rinzaishi-Nanzenji Zen sect.

Emperor Kameyama built a villa at his favourite beauty spot in 1264. In 1291 he became a monk-emperor, following the faith of priest Daiminkokushi, and donated the villa as a Zen temple. The original buildings were destroyed by fire several times in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The current buildings date from the Momoyama period (1570-1600).

At the entrance is the huge two-storey Sanmon gate, built in 1626.

Within the Hojo (abbot's quarters) is a famous Zen garden, consisting of stones and trees grouped together at one end of a large open space, to give the effect of natural scenery.

In the temple grounds is a red-brick aqueduct, which was built in 1890 as part of a canal project to bring water and goods into the city from Shiga prefecture.

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