
The Temple Buildings
temple
龍潭寺の建物
The buildings of Ryotanji are between 200 and 400 years old, and the main worship hall (hondo) was rebuilt in 1676.
Ryotanji's main worship hall was rebuilt in 1676 and contains a nightingale floor, a security device that produces a bird-like chirping when walked upon to alert against intruders. Both the floor and the carved wooden dragon above the doorway are attributed to Hidari Jingoro, the Edo-period sculptor said to have created the famous sleeping cat carving at Nikko's Toshogu Shrine. The hall looks out onto a pond garden designed for viewing from a specific seat in the adjacent dining room. Other structures include a teahouse and the Ii family mausoleum, which enshrines ancestral tablets including that of Ii Tomoyasu, the family's 11th-century founder.
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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