Zenshoji Temple

Pine and cedar shade the halls of Zenshoji, a Buddhist temple believed to date to the Heian period. Inside the Daishoin Hall is a famous ink painting by the Zen priest Sesshu depicting the legendary monk Bodhidharma, rendered in bold brushstrokes with a deliberately solemn expression. Behind the main hall, a hillside garden designed by tea master Kanamori Sowa features azaleas, maples, and a small pond shaped like the kanji for heart. The veranda running along the back of the hall frames the whole garden. Autumn is particularly rewarding here when the maple leaves turn.