Former Chikurinin Temple
temple
旧竹林院
Chikurinin Temple in the town of Sakamoto is a former satobo, a small temple where older Buddhist monks live and work, performing light duties.
Chikurinin was one of the satobo, small retreat temples where senior monks from Mt. Hiei lived out their later years in Sakamoto. Founded in 1592, it is one of very few satobo open to the public today. The 3,300-square-meter garden draws water from the Omiya River, which flows through Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, creating streams and small cascades against a backdrop of borrowed mountain scenery. In the main hall's second-floor room, a lacquered table is positioned so that a camera placed on it captures both the garden and its reflection simultaneously.
Remove shoes before entering any hall. Look for a shoe rack at the entrance. Carry a plastic bag for your shoes if none is provided.
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