Jigendo Temple

Jigendo Temple inside Korakuen garden was built in 1697 by Ikeda Tsunamasa as a dedication to family stability and harmony with the castle town. The original Nio guardian statues, restored in 2000, now live at the Okayama Prefectural Museum. The main hall stands empty, its Kannon statues having been returned to the Ikeda family after the garden passed to the prefecture in 1884. What remains is the courtyard atmosphere and the Eboshi-iwa, a four-meter composite rock assembled from 36 pieces of granite shaped into the rounded cap worn by Heian-era court nobles. It's worth a look for the story behind the craftsmanship.