May 19, 2014 - 1 min read

Kyoto Sennyu-ji Temple

Imperial family temple hidden in the deep forest

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

Sennyu-ji Temple is hidden in a deep forest

Half of the building is behind a thick wood

House covering a natural fountain source

Imperial Mausoleum is just beyond the gate

Hall housing wooden statue of Yang Guei-fei (Yokihi)

Sitting along the edge of this wooden corridor, I enjoyed a quiet time

Sennyu-ji Temple, a family temple for the Imperial Family, is affectionately called Mi-tera by citizens. Temples are almost always situated in high locations, and so we usually look up to the buildings when we are at the gate. But in Mi-tera, the main building is placed in a the lower location and is behind a thick wood. It is as if the temple wants to hide in the forest from our view. Mi-tera also has a lot of highlights: a house covering a natural fountain source, a beautiful garden at the Gozasho Hall, a wooden statue of Yang Guifei (Yokihi) brought from the Tang Dynasty, Sei Shonagon’s memorial stone, and so on.