Located in northern Kyoto, this mountain side Tendai sect temple dates from 1656. It is noted for its Edo-style 'shoin' architecture and the ornate elegance of its tatami study rooms with their opulent sliding doors (fusuma), painted by Kano Eitoku, opening to reveal the splendid garden at the rear.

Manshu-in Temple is almost a temple within a garden.

Its garden is designed as a boat on the water, and is also well known for its beautiful style. The grounds contain a wide expanse of precisely-raked white gravel that resembles a sea with islands of trees, rocks, shrubs and moss floating inside. 

This gravel sea encompasses the two main temple buildings as well, and from within them there are excellent, meditative views of the garden. In autumn, the hillside maples turn a fiery red, and their leaves drop on the garden adding glorious accents.

The temple buildings themselves are very old and have been designated Important Cultural Properties. They are representative of the Shoin style of building from the early Edo Period and contain some famous paintings by artists of the Kano school.

Address

42 Takenouchi-cho, Ichijo-ji, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City.
Tel: +81 075 781 5010