Ryoanji Temple

Zen Breathes Here: The Beauty of Negative Space

Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, a renowned temple where one leaves the clamor behind and finds oneself drawn to contemplate the empty spaces.

This time, we introduce Ryoanji’s rock garden, which embodies this “Zen beauty.” Though it gained sudden fame when Queen Elizabeth visited in 1975, this rock garden remains shrouded in mystery—its exact date and creator remain unknown.

We hope this inspires you to visit Ryoan-ji, where you’ll find a quiet, refined atmosphere reminiscent of the Kisho-tei residence, yet also feel the Japanese spirit that has been passed down for centuries.

“I know only contentment”

These words are inscribed on the tsukubai (water basin) at Ryoan-ji. Its playful design features a square water hole at the center. By writing the character “五” (go) above it, it resembles the character “吾” (I), and by writing “矢” (ya) to the left, it resembles ‘知’ (know). Each character is formed by interpreting the water hole as the “口” (mouth) part of the character. When written out, it forms the phrase “I know only contentment.” This is said to illustrate the Buddhist teaching: “He who knows contentment is rich though poor; he who knows no contentment is poor though rich.”

This, truly, embodies the Japanese spirit Ryoan-ji conveys to us. At Kisho-tei, we aspire to offer you time and space that are similarly simple yet richly designed, where the beauty of negative space truly shines.

Beauty Born from Imperfection

Ryoan-ji is most famously represented by its beautiful rock garden. Officially called the Hojo Garden, it is a quintessential example of a dry landscape garden, featuring fifteen stones arranged on a bed of white sand. It is said that these 15 stones are arranged so that, no matter where you stand, one stone is always hidden by another, making only 14 visible at any given time.

In Buddhism, the number “15” is often associated with the concept of “completeness.” This resonates with Japanese culture, where the most beautiful full moon of the year is called “Jūgo-ya” (the fifteenth night), much like how Fujiwara no Michinaga used the full moon as a metaphor for perfection in his poetry. Various interpretations whisper about what Ryoan-ji represents: “Humans are imperfect beings, so they cannot see everything,” or “Being slightly less than perfect is just right.” How one perceives it may depend on the viewer’s feelings. However, regardless of interpretation, I believe the charm of Ryoan-ji lies in sensing the beauty of the empty space created precisely because it is not perfect.

From Kisho-tei to Ryoan-ji Temple

From Karasuma Oike, where Kisho-tei is located, you can reach Ryoan-ji Temple by taking one city bus and walking about 10 minutes. Alternatively, if you get off at Kitano Shiraume-cho along the way, you can visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. If you transfer and get off at Kinkakuji-michi, you can also stop by Kinkaku-ji Temple.

Writer’s Recommendations

【Kyoto City Subway & Bus One-Day Pass】

This pass offers unlimited rides for one day on all Kyoto Municipal Subway and City Bus lines, Kyoto Bus (excluding some routes), Keihan Bus (excluding some routes), and JR Bus (excluding some routes). Priced at ¥1,100 for adults and ¥550 for children, it’s an efficient and economical way to get around Kyoto City. If you transfer between subway and city buses, you might break even with just one round trip! This convenient pass eliminates the hassle of buying tickets or worrying about recharging, and offers discounts at some facilities.

For example, if you travel from Kyoto Station to Kisho-tei in the morning, store your luggage, then visit Ryoan-ji Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine before returning to Kisho-tei at night…

・Kyoto Station ~ Karasuma Oike (¥220)
・Kisho-tei / Karasuma Oike ~ Kitano Shiraume-cho (¥230)
・Kitano Shiraume-cho ~ Ryoan-ji / Ritsumeikan University Mae (¥230)

・Ryoanji Temple/Ritsumeikan University Mae ~ Kinkakuji-michi (¥230),

・Kinkakuji-michi ~ Kishotei / Karasuma Oike (¥230)

【Total ¥1,140 + You can visit other places with the remaining time, so the one-day pass is more economical!】

For details, please visit the Kyoto City website.

https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/page/0000028378.html

Ryoanji Temple

〒616-8001

13 Ryoanji Goryoshi-machi, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City

Visiting Hours: March 1 – November 30: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

: December 1 – End of February: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Admission Fee: Adults 600 yen, High School Students 500 yen, Elementary/Junior High School Students 300 yen

Red Seal Reception: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Times may vary depending on circumstances.)

http://www.ryoanji.jp/smph/index.html