Daigo-ji is a famous temple founded in the Heian Period. This garden is adjacent to Sanpo-in, where the chief monk lives. Although the premises of Daigo-ji was devastated by the Onin-Bunmei War, it was reconstructed after Toyotomi Hideyoshi hosted “Daigo’s Cherry-blossom Viewing.” The garden was made by exceptional gardeners.

cultural property : historic sites and places of scenic beauty as natural monuments　
type : places of special scenic beauty, special historical sites

22 Daigohigashiojicho, Fushimi-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 601-1325
Tel：075-571-0002

Home page : www.daigoji.or.jp/garan/sanboin_detail.html

Daigo-ji is a famous temple that is said to have been founded by Rigen Daishi Shoho, who offered a Kan’on statue at Mt. Kasatori (the spring water from this mountain has been called “Daigo” water) in the Heian Period. The chief monk had resided in Sanpo-in, but the premise of Daigo-ji fell into ruin during the Onin-Bunmei War, which also destroyed Sanpo-in. The devastated Daigo-ji was reconstructed by Gien Jugo under the protection of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It is told that, prior to 1598, when new Sanpo-in were to be made at the site of Kongorin-in, Toyotomi Hideyoshi himself roped off an area and ordered three gardening magistrates to rebuild the garden. Although Toyotomi Hideyoshi died in August 1598, the garden construction continued under the instruction of Gien, which lasted for 27 years until Gien also died.
The garden has a pond at the center, with three islands and nine bridges. There is a Tsukiyama (artificial hill) to the south and a waterfall to the east. Many ornamental stones are arranged along the pond shore. Fujito stone, a famous stone owned by past rulers, was also placed among them. The site has tall evergreen trees such as Japanese white pines (Pinus parviflora), chinquapins (Castanopsis sieboldii), and Japanese blue oaks (Quercus glauca), creating a magnanimous yet graceful atmosphere.

The garden belongs to a Zen temple of the Shokoku-ji school (the Rinzai sect), and is representative of the Higashiyama culture. It was built in 1339 modeled after a garden at Saiho-ji, made by Muso Soseki. The garden has Tsukiyama (artificial hills) and ponds, with mountains, called “Tsukimachi-yama” and “Daimonji-yama” in the background.

cultural property : historic sites and places of scenic beauty as natural monuments　
type : places of special scenic beauty, special historical sites

2 Ginkakujichō, Sakyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 606-8402
Tel：075-771-5725

This is a Zen-temple garden that belongs to the Shokoku-ji school of the Rinzai sect and an excellent example of the Higashiyama culture. This is a garden of a mountain villa known as Higashiyama-dono. The villa was built by the 8th Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa of the Muromachi Shogunate for his retirement, following the example of Kitayama-dono Kinkaku Rokuon-ji, built by the 3rd Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The garden is said to have been modeled after the garden of Saiho-ji designed by Muso Soseki in 1339.
The garden consists of upper and lower levels: A stroll garden with a pond is located on the ground level and a Karesansui (dry landscape) garden on the back hill. The stroll garden has a pond called “Kinkyochi” at the center, and Ginkaku and Togu-do are situated on both sides of the pond. The landscape of these gardens was significantly altered during the renovation in the early Edo Period.
The key garden components are Ginshadan and cone-shaped Kogetsu-dai created from white sand. It is believed that Ginshadan, which depicts the scene of waves at Lake Seiko in China, and Kogetsu-dai, formed to resemble Mt. Fuji, were made with moonlight reflections in mind.

Kinkaku-ji has two ponds, Kyokochi that spreads in front of the Shariden (reliquary hall), and Anmintaku that is situated on the north side, which is elevated by one level. Water flows into the pond from Daimonji-yama. Since earth and sand flow in when heavy rain cause a large amount of drainage, Anmintaku functions as a sedimentation basin for Kyokochi.

cultural property : historic sites and places of scenic beauty as natural monuments　
type : places of special scenic beauty, special historical sites

1 Kinkakujichō, Kita-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 603-8361
Tel：075-461-0013

The third Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, after passing the title to his son, Yoshimochi, and became a monk, received a mountain villa from the Saionji Family in 1397 and constructed Kitayama-dono at the villa. When Yoshimitsu passed away, Kitayama-dono was turned into a temple according to his will and named Rokuon-ji, honoring his posthumous Buddhist name “Rokuon-in.”
Kinkaku-ji has two ponds, Kyokochi that spreads in front of Shariden (a reliquary hall; Kinkaku), and Anmintaku, situated on the north side, elevated by one level.
Kyokochi is a stroll garden with a pond, and uses many ornamental stones for its shore and central island.
The pond water flows in from Daimonji-yama and receives earth and sand when there is significant amount of drainage due to heavy rain. Therefore, the water is first drawn to Anmintaku, which is located on the highest level and functions as a sedimentation basin, then discharged to Kyokochi. Anmintaku, located in the back of Kinkaku, has fewer ornamental stones and is believed to have been constructed by Saionji Kintsune during the Kamakura Period.