Shisen-do Jozanji Temple

4.5

Located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, this was once the site of a mountain villa built by Edo period literati Ishikawa Jozan for his retirement. It is a nationally designated Historic Site. Today, it is a Soto Buddhist temple that is also called the Jozan-ji. Jozan had the Shisen-do built at the age of 59. For the remaining 30 some years of his life, this great man of letters devoted his time to poetry, calligraphy, and gardening, to the exclusion of even sleeping and eating. The Shisen-do preserves a great number of his works and calligraphy and, in addition to a standing exhibition, the temple a special three day exhibition starting from May 23 each year, the anniversary of Jozan’s death. The temple’s garden was designed by Jozan himself, a renowned gardener, and is particularly famous for its satsuki azaleas in spring and fall foliage in autumn. It is said that the first shishi-odoshi was created here. The shishi-odoshi is a bamboo tube balanced on a pivot which slowly fills with water until it tips over, draining the water and falling back into position with a “plonk” noise. Shishi-odoshi are practical – their sound scares away deer and wild boars that might eat garden plants – but their sound also accentuates the silence of a garden, and it is said Jozan loved the sound they made.

Spot details

Address: Kyoto Kyoutoshi Sakyou-ku Ichijoujimonguchichou 27 Map
Area: Ichijo-ji Temple / Shugakuin Area
Phone: 0757812954
Hours: 9:00-17:00(Last entry16:45)
Closed: 5/23
Fees: [Admission fee]
[Adult]500yen
[High school student]400yen
[Elementary and junior high school students]200yen
Parking Lot: Not available
※Nearby fee parking available
Credit Card: Not available
Smoking: Not available
Wi-Fi: Not available
English Menu: Available (Others, Chinese/Korean Available)
Estimated stay time: 0-30 minutes

Information Sources: NAVITIME JAPAN

Articles about this spot

Top 42 Autumn Color Spot in Kyoto

Kyoto | Spiritual Spots

Itineraries about this spot

18 days: Chiba, Aichi, Gifu, Kyoto, Hyogo, Osaka, Nara, Tokyo, Kanagawa

18 day(s)

Review

Stroll garden of breathtaking beauty

Reviewed : 2020.08.08

The garden of Shisen-do is simply out of this world. I would rank it without hesitation to the top 5 of Kyoto gardens:not only has it an impeccable composition, it is also fundamentally different...
Beautiful

Reviewed : 2019.12.15

We were lucky enough to be in Kyoto for the autumn leaves, so chose our sight seeing around this theme. We had come to Enkoji, the temple next door which is also fantastic and a must see, and...
Go for the Azeleas

Reviewed : 2019.06.08

The main attraction of this temple seems to be in May, and I hit this one at the right time when the azeleas were in bloom. Take them away and the garden would be pretty ordinary - apart from the...