Jan 12, 2014 - 1 min read

Tofuku-ji Temple Gardens

Classic Zen gardens, with a splash of the modern

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

The gardens include touches of both traditional and modern design

The wood on display here is elegant and beautiful

This garden is quite traditional, but not too simple

Grass, trees, wall, sand, and light all interact with one another

The four gardens flank the Hojo building

This garden has a mixture of modern and traditional

Bamboo walls also play a part in the design of the gardens

Notice how the eaves are made up of many pieces of wood

A very interesting use of color in the sand

Tofuku-ji Temple is large and imposing, but it also contains touches of beauty and splendor like those found in its gardens: The Hojo Garden, and the Ryogin-an Garden. In the Hojo Garden, four gardens (North, South, East, West) flank the main Hojo building, each with its own unique character. In the Ryogin-an Gardens, rocks, colorful sand, moss, grass, shapes, patterns, trees, bamboo, walls, wood, light, sky and more all work their magic here in a mixture of modern and traditional. Both gardens also have very beautiful wood corridors where you can find a warm and pleasant spot to sit and meditate.

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By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

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Justin Velgus 10 years ago

Excellent pictures, Larry. I think most photographers would have been too hypnotized by the sand garden to take any other shots. However, you showed us some interesting details, including the eaves of the roof and the bamboo fencing. Thanks!

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