Kojoin Garden ｜ Cultural Properties ｜ Miidera Temple Cultural Property Museum ｜ The Head Temple of the Tendaijimon Buddhist Sect Miidera Temple

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This garden stretches away to the south of the Kojoin Reception Hall and is an example of the chisen kanshoshiki type, a style that features a footpath around a pond. It is a famous example of a splendid garden and appears as such in the Tsukiyama Niwa-zukuriden, a gardening book from the Edo period. It was formally designated as a scenic historical spot in 1934.
The pond has a central island, connected to the rest of the garden by a natural rock bridge, and a number of yodomari stones are scattered throughout the body of water to look like islands. In addition, standing stones have been assembled to form a dry “waterfall” in the central southwest section. Meanwhile, an artificial hill makes use of the natural topography, and the shade from the trees adds another dimension of contrast to the pond. The water flows underneath the veranda of the reception hall, creating a peaceful and secluded environment in which the garden and the building seem to come together as one in perfect harmony.

“Kojoin Reception Hall”

“chisen kanshoshiki”

A type of Japanese gardens featuring a miniature-version of the beauty of great nature with the transition of four seasons. The most common style is a chisen-style garden where a pond is located in the center of the garden along with an arrangement of stones. Chisen-style gardens are also categorized into two types: the kaiyu-style where visitors can freely stroll and the kansho-style where the gardens are admired from a drawing room or study.

“Edo period”

The name of the period that lasted approximately 260 years from when Tokugawa Ieyasu founded the shogunate in 1603 after winning the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the restoration of imperial rule by Tokugawa Yoshinobu in 1867. Also called the Tokugawa period.

“Tsukiyama Niwa-zukuriden”

These books for garden-landscaping were written by Kitamura Enkinsai in 1735 and published in Kyoto. They consist of three volumes. They gained popularity and contributed greatly to the diffusion of garden-landscaping as people’s hobby. It also influenced garden-landscaping in the Meiji era (1868–1912) onward.

“central island”

An island that is built in the center of the garden pond. The term nakajima is used to distinguish clearly from dejima that means a peninsula.

“yodomari stones”

Stones placed in a pond to look as if rock islands of almost the same size and shape are floating in a straight line on the surface. It is a symbol of a lucky omen, as they look like treasure boats heading to Mount Penglai, seeking treasure, are mooring at a port.

“dry “waterfall"”

A method of karesansui, dry landscape, in which a symbolic waterfall is made without actual water but with an arrangement of stones and white sand.

“artificial hill”

An artificial hill that was built in a garden. It is generally a focal component with a combination of a pond.

“veranda of the reception hall”

−: Muromachi Period