Jan 18, 2014 - 1 min read

Beautiful Shoren-in Temple, Kyoto

A superb mixture of old and new

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

One of the five giant 800 year old camphor trees in the temple

The temple has many wide open tatami rooms like this, decorated with a stunningly beautiful lotus motif

Lotus and dragonfly, painted directly onto the sliding doors between rooms

What a perfect place to have a writing desk

I'm not sure what it is, but it is oh so lovely!

There are many wood walkways like this one in each building

The early morning light was soft and soothing

Up the hill I found this small shrine containing two clever foxes

The temple bell in the corner of the yard

The lighting was still beautiful as I was leaving the temple

Although not many people visit Shoren-in Temple (and garden), those in the know call it one of the most beautiful in Kyoto. I went there on the morning of December 31, and it was practically empty, which suited me just fine. Built in the late 13th Century, part of the temple's fame comes from its connections over the centuries to the Royal Family. The buildings are laid out around a central garden and pond. Rooms are wide and spacious and beautiful. The wood is dark and old, and there are a lot of reds to match the darkness of the wood. Colorful lotus door paintings are a delight! A path winds its way up through a bamboo grove and, at the top, provides a splendid view of the surrounding countryside.

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By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

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Mandy Bartok 10 years ago

I visited Shoren-in sometime last year and really loved the vivid painted screens. Imagine my surprise when a year later, I was wandering around the Yasaka Pagoda area and there was a shop whose interior had been painted by the exact same artist, Hideki Kimura!

Debra Mae Carino 10 years ago

I went to Kyoto earlier this year and visited Shoren-in as suggested by a Japanese friend of mine. The entrance alone is so wonderful. I love that tree ;)

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