It’s hard to believe this is near JR Kyoto Station, bustling with tourists. It’s a remarkably quiet garden.From this garden, you can see the Kyoto Tower to the southwest, so anyone can understand how close this garden is to JR Kyoto Station.This garden is Shosei-en Garden, an enclave within the grounds of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple.
From the outside, you can’t tell what kind of garden it is. Passing through the narrow entrance, a vast garden centered around a large pond spreads out before you. That pond is called Ingetsu-chi Pond, and it occupies one-sixth of the entire garden.
A tea ceremony room called Shukuen-tei stands on the small island of Kita-Oshima floating in that Ingetsu-chi Pond.Kita-Oshima is connected by two distinct bridges: the curved Shinsetsu-kyo Bridge and the covered Kaito-ro Bridge.
Adjacent to the small pond on the north side of the garden, the Tekisui-ken (Reception Hall) and Rinchi-tei (Reception Hall) are charming Japanese-style buildings with engawa verandas extending over the pond.Unfortunately, these buildings are not open to the public, but the view of the pond and the two buildings from outside makes for a great photo spot.
Many people visit Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, but some overlook this Shosei-en Garden located just nearby.If you visit Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, be sure to stop by this garden as well. It’s about a 5-minute walk from Higashi Hongan-ji Temple and about a 10-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station.
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