The 5th chief monk of Sukan-ji, the predecessor of the present Iko-ji, was Sesshu and he created a garden in one of the subordinate temples. Sukan-ji was dilapidated during the Warring States Period, but later combined with Iko-ji and remains to this day. This is a Horai-style garden with a crane-shaped pond and a turtle island, and it shows a variety of scenery from season to season.
cultural property : historic sites and places of scenic beauty as natural monuments
type : places of scenic beauty, historic sites
4-29 Somebachō, Masuda-shi, Shimane-ken 698-0011
Tel：0856-22-1668
Iko-ji is a temple of the Tofuku-ji school of the Rinzai sect. Its predecessor was called Sukan-ji and it was founded during the Muromachi Period. Sukan-ji became dilapidated during the Warring States Period, but the 17th head of the Masuda Family, Munekane, restored the temple as Iko-ji.
The 5th chief monk of Sukan-ji was Sesshu, who was a famous ink painter, and created a garden in one of the subordinate temples which became the base of the current garden.
It is a Horai-style stroll and view garden with a pond. The pond is shaped like a crane and there is a turtle island in the pond. It is famous for its weeping cherry trees in the spring and azaleas in May. Various trees create cool shade in the summer, and large maple trees turn red in the fall. The snowscape in winter reminds visitors of the ink paintings by Sesshu. The garden has various appearances from season to season. There are also other things to see in the temple. An ash mound is believed to be the place where Sesshu was cremated. There is a grave of Masuda Munekane, the lord of the clan that governed this area for a long time, and historical statues such as arhat statues.