Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto

Kujo Michiie, The great statesman of Kamakura period, instructed priest Enni to build Tofukuji, a Zen temple in Kyoto, long back in 1236. It is headquarters of the Tofukuji branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism in Japan. The temple derived its name as a combination of the names of Nara’s two model temples, the Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji.
It is one of the renowned Kyoto Gozan or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto". Four other temples belonging to this prestigious group of Zen temples are Tenryuji, Kenninji, Shokokuji and Manjuji with Nanzenji presiding as the chief temple of Kyoto Gozan.

The original structure of the temple suffered repeated devastations by great fires and war till late Meiji period. Its present construction with all its brilliant features constitutes a spectacular display of medieval Zen temple.

Features

- The 22 meter high Sanmon gate is the biggest and oldest of all Zen temple gates in Japan and considered as a national treasure. For its unique construction with the application of Great Buddha’s building style, it is also regarded as the most outstanding among all Zen temple gates in Japan. The tower is adorned with spectacular paintings of Tycoon Yoshimochi Ashikaga, Densu Cho and Densu Kan. The carvings of Buddha and sixteen other Buddhist Monks, on the front side of tower, are the creations of the famous Buddhist artist Teicho.
- The Hojo (hear priest's quarters), one of the main structures in the Tofukuji Temple, was rebuilt in 1890 following its destruction by repeated fires. The gardens designed in the four quarters surrounding the Hojo were created by Mr. Mirei Shigemori, one of the Japan’s famous garden-builders in 1939 as an attempt to display the Zen’s simplicity in Kamakura period through an abstract orientation of modern arts.
- “Zendo”, the meditation hall, “Tosu”, the lavatory and “Yokushitsu”, the bathing room, are some of the original structures of the temple that date back to the early Muromachi period (14th century).
- The southern garden facing the Hojo is the most intricately designed of all the four gardens in Tofukuji temple. It contains four rock-composites representing four Elysian islands - from the east to the west namely Eiju, Horai, Koryo, and Hojo – situated on the sand garden-floor (Hakkai) of the garden. Five especially designed sacred mountains covered with moss stand at the right corner of the southern garden.
- The western garden designed in a gentle style with moss and azalea-shrubs trimmed in a chequered pattern stands in sharp contrast with the dry stone decoration of the southern garden. The design of this garden imitates “Seiden”, a popular way of land division practiced in China.
- Square-shaped stones and moss arranged in a small-sized chequered pattern are the remarkable features of the northern garden. The garden facing the Tsuten bridge and a ravine is well known as "Sengyokukan" (the autumn-tinted valley) for its maple leaves in autumn.
- Seven cylindrical stones placed in a moss field, symbolizing the main stars of the heaven’s Great Bear, decorate the eastern garden of the Tofukuji temple.

How to Reach

10-15 minute walk from Tofukuji Station on the Keihan Main Line and JR Nara Line will take you to the Tofukuji temple in Kyoto. In JR line, Tofukuji Station comes next to the Kyoto Station. The journey costs 140 Yen by local train.
Bus 208 from the Kyoto Station reaches Tofukuji-mae. From the bus stop walk for 5 minutes to reach the Sanmon Gate of the temple.

When you are on a trip to Kyoto, don’t miss the famous Tofukuji temple, one of the Kyoto’s UNESCO world heritage sites. If you can arrange your trip in the second half of November, the temple’s traditional architecture along with spectacular views of autumn leaves will surely add to your pleasure.

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