Photos of Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Zen garden of the Leaping Tiger in Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Photographs of

Nanzen-ji Zen Garden

Nanzen-ji, also called Zuiryusan, is the head temple of the Rinzai sect's Nanzenji school of Zen Buddhism and is considered the most famous and important Zen temple in the world. Nanzenji was first built as an imperial villa in 1264, and became a temple in 1291. Emperor Kameyama loved this beautiful place so much that he built his detached palace here.

The main building, the Seiryo-den, is famous for a beautiful rock garden (Leaping Tiger Garden) and sliding doors (fusuma) are decorated by paintings of the Kano School.

Photographs by Frantisek Staud

Zen garden of the Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Stone and gravel – detail of the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Zen garden of Leaping Tiger viewed through sliding door of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Wooden veranda of Nanzen-ji Temple with adjacent Zen garden, Kyoto, Japan

Moss and gravel create patterns in the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Detail of the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Rock and sand - detail of the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Nanzen-ji Temple with adjacent Zen garden, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monk raking the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monk in American football T-shirt patterning the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monk patterning the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monk in Emmitt Smith T-shirt patterning the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monks working in the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monk working in the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Buddhist monk overlooking the Zen garden of Nanzen-ji, Kyoto, Japan

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