Konchiin

Konchi-in is a sub-temple of Nanzen-ji that most visitors walk right past, which means you can often sit on the viewing veranda in near-silence while taking in one of Kyoto's finest dry gardens. Landscape architect Kobori Enshu designed it in the early 1600s, arranging rocks in raked gravel to represent a crane and tortoise facing each other across the space. The temple also holds a small collection of fusuma paintings attributed to the Kano school. The garden's craftsmanship and genuine quiet make the modest entry fee easy to justify, especially as a peaceful counterpoint to busy Nanzen-ji just steps away.