Entsu-ji Temple (Kyoto City) (円通寺 (京都市))
The Entsu-ji Temple was a Buddhist temple of the Myoshin-ji Temple school of the Rinzai sect, located in Iwakura Hataeda-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. Its sango (literally, "mountain name," which is the title prefixed to the name of a Buddhist temple) is Daihizan.
The principal image is Sho Kannon (Aryavalokitesvara). It is known for the Japanese Garden of Entsu-ji Temple (designated as a National Site of Scenic Beauty), as mentioned below.
History
Originally, it was Emperor Gomizunoo's villa called Hataeda Palace; its Karesansui Garden (dry-landscape garden), as mentioned below, was erected around the same time. The temple has been the Imperial Family's place of prayer since its founding in 1678 by Enkoin Buneini, a wet nurse of Emperor Reigen.
Cultural properties
Entsu-ji Temple Garden
It's a dry-landscape garden designated as a National Site of Scenic Beauty. Some 40 garden rocks, large and small, were probably arranged by Emperor Gomizunoo himself when he became the Retired Emperor. The garden has the borrowed landscape of Mt. Hiei, as seen at the back; Retired Emperor Gomizunoo, who looked for a place that was notable for a splendid view of Mt. Hiei, erected the villa here in Hataeda.
The Entsu-ji Temple Garden is particularly well known for the beautiful, borrowed landscape. So, there was concern that rapid urbanization, such as the construction of high-rise condominium buildings, might cause the destruction of such valuable borrowed landscapes. Therefore, Kyoto City established the Landscape Policy (its official name is the Vista View Creation Ordinance) to conserve borrowed landscapes such as that of Entsu-ji Temple Garden. Entsu-ji Temple is located in the Vista View Preservation Zone, in and around which the heights of buildings as well as the roof materials or designs are restricted.
Reigen Tenno shinkan onshosoku (letter written by Emperor Reigen; an Important Cultural Property)
Address and access
389 Iwakura Hataeda-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City (Kyoto Bus: a ten-minute walk from the 'Entsu-ji dori' bus stop)