Kanjizaio-in Ruins

The expansive grassy remains of a temple and Pure Land garden commissioned in the 12th century by the wife of Fujiwara Motohira, the second lord of the Hiraizumi Fujiwara. Though the buildings are gone, the garden's central pond and island layout survive, modeled on the Buddhist conception of paradise. Archaeological excavations have revealed the original garden's scale and sophistication. Between this site and neighboring Motsuji Temple, traces of oxcart storage buildings hint at the processions and ceremonies that once animated this corridor. A quiet, contemplative stop that contrasts with the more famous Chusonji up the hill. Part of the Hiraizumi UNESCO World Heritage group.