Feb 6, 2014 - 1 min read

Shisendo: Villa, Garden, and Temple

Kyoto Beauty: A lot packed into one small space

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

The garden in winter is quiet...and cold

Wall painting in a small alcove off the garden path

A wonderful place for people of all ages

Shisendo has an interesting history, and thus, is difficult to pinpoint: Is it a villa? Is it a garden? Is it a temple? The answer is - all three. But for most people, it is mainly a garden. A place to meditate, sitting in a large tatami room while looking out at its simple sand garden and the surrounding nature: Beautiful shrubbery, colorful trees (in autumn), a fish pond, and so on. It is most beautiful in autumn, but that's also when it is busiest. Go back again in winter when it is almost empty; it will feel completely different. Quiet and serene, and very cold. But the fresh air braces you and makes you feel happy to be alive!