Rock Garden and more at Ryoan-ji Temple

Famed Rock Garden

Here's the rock garden of Ryoan-ji temple. Many visitors sit on the porch to the right but the garden looks as if it were enjoying its solitude.

Many love to talk about the mystery and secret of this garden but you should rather sit still and do not think much until you become none.

Ume blossoms in early spring

This is also from Ryoan-ji temple: Ume Japanese apricot blossoms in early March of 2009. This tree is rather unusual because on this single tree are both pink and white Ume flowers in bloom. Find the tree on the way to the rock garden. 

Ume comes into bloom before the arrival of spring from February to early March. They are proud flowers coming into bloom when the air is still chilly. 

Daisugi Ceder

The rock garden is said to be one of the supreme examples of abstract Zen gardens and could be world-famous. However, the large pond garden spreading in front of the temple complex looks graceful. 

The precincts formerly belonged to the aristocratic Tokudaiji family and used as their retreat. The large Kyoyo-chi pond was made by them in the late 12th century. Though the precincts were handed over to HOSOKAWA Katsumoto, a high-ranking samurai official of the Muromachi shogunate in 1450 and made into a Zen temple, this strolling type garden seems to retain the Heian elegance. 

Be sure to feel the Heian ambience before and after your visit to the rock garden.

For most of the visitors, however, the priority of their visit is to sit on the porch in front of the rock garden trying to feel a bit of Zen meditation, though you have a lot of company and many are busy counting the rocks. You can only see 14 out of the total 15 rocks arranged in the rectangle white gravel garden regardless of your position. People want to make sure that they see 14. The only position you can see the whole rocks at one glance is said to be a certain point in the room.

Many seriously believe that the garden was designed that way; others say it’s only a coincidence. It will be better to see the garden as it appears rather than analyze it, though. Tourists are attracted to the garden due to its established fame and touted mystery and later end up saying “been there, done that.”

If you have enough time at the temple however, it will still make a very memorable visit. After you have “meditated” at the rock garden and put your shoes on again, take time to stroll around the large pond. On the way, try going up a little bit to the right. You will find a grove of DAISUGI cedar trees.

Originally this style of cedar was invented to make the best use of the limited grounds to make more cedar logs; now these trees are used as garden trees. Their trunk is intentionally cut at a certain height, from which several branches grow. Bask in the afterglow of your rock garden visit, or rather you might feel refreshed being released from one puzzling garden.