Nanzen-ji: Zen, Tigers and a Secret Waterway with Pochika and Pochikichi

Script

1. 01 — Welcome to Nanzen-ji: A Palace Becomes a Temple

Stand on the main approach to Nanzen-ji, facing the enormous Sanmon Gate ahead.

Pochika: Wow, Pochikichi! Look at that enormous wooden gate! I thought we were visiting a quiet little Zen temple. This looks more like the entrance to a castle!

Pochikichi: Welcome to Nanzen-ji! Look beyond the gate toward the wooded Higashiyama mountains. This is the head temple of the Nanzen-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

Pochika: Was this always a temple?

Pochikichi: No. It began as an imperial residence associated with Emperor Kameyama. The emperor became a Buddhist monk in 1289. Then, in 1291, exactly 735 years before 2026, he established Nanzen-ji as a Zen temple and invited the master Mukan Fumon to become its founding abbot.

Pochika: An emperor turning his palace into a place for meditation? That's quite a change!

Pochikichi: And here's something unusual. In 1334, Nanzen-ji was ranked first among Kyoto's Five Great Zen Temples. Later, under Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it received an even higher position, above the entire ranking system.

Pochika: Above first place? Kyoto really knows how to make an entrance!

Pochikichi: It does. Now look at the trees, the rooftops and that magnificent gate. Throughout this walk, we'll discover how imperial history, Zen Buddhism and modern engineering came together in the same landscape.

Pochika: An emperor, a famous gate and even engineering? I'm ready! Let's start with Sanmon!

Sources: Nanzen-ji Temple — Official History (Japanese), Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Historical Guide, Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Official Travel Guide

2. 02 — Sanmon: The Giant Gate of Remembrance

Stand directly in front of Sanmon Gate, where you can see its massive columns and upper balcony.

Pochika: Pochikichi, these wooden columns are enormous! How old is this gate? It looks like it has been here forever.

Pochikichi: Look up at the upper balcony. The present Sanmon was rebuilt in 1628, exactly 398 years before 2026. It stands about twenty-two meters high.

Pochika: Almost four hundred years! Was it built just to impress visitors?

Pochikichi: There was a deeper reason. The military commander Todo Takatora rebuilt it to commemorate his retainers who died in the Summer Siege of Osaka. So this magnificent structure is also a memorial.

Pochika: That makes it feel very different. What does Sanmon actually mean?

Pochikichi: The name refers to the Three Gates of Liberation in Buddhist teaching: emptiness, signlessness and wishlessness. They represent spiritual barriers on the path toward enlightenment.

Pochika: And we're about to walk through them! Does that mean I'll become enlightened?

Pochikichi: Not quite that easily! Look again at the upper structure. It's called Goho-ro, and Sanmon is counted among Japan's great temple gates. The temple also calls it Tenka Ryumon, meaning a great dragon gate beneath heaven.

Pochika: I love that name! It's almost like a gate into another world.

Pochikichi: Before we continue, look at the repetition of the columns. Their size and rhythm give the gate its extraordinary presence. And remember, this is an Important Cultural Property, so please treat the structure with care.

Sources: Nanzen-ji Temple — Sanmon Gate, Official Site (Japanese), Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Historical Guide

3. 03 — Sanmon's View and the Famous Outlaw

If Sanmon's upper level is open and accessible to you, stand at its permitted viewing area; otherwise enjoy the gate from the ground.

Pochika: Pochikichi! From up here, the temple rooftops look tiny, and Kyoto stretches out beyond the trees! Is this what people saw centuries ago?

Pochikichi: They knew the same mountain landscape, although the city looked very different. Look west across Kyoto, then turn toward the eastern hills. The contrast between the city and the forest is one of the pleasures of this view.

Pochika: I heard a famous thief once stood on this gate. Is that true?

Pochikichi: You're thinking of Ishikawa Goemon. He's the legendary outlaw featured in the kabuki play Sanmon Gosan no Kiri. The gate became famous through that theatrical story.

Pochika: So he really climbed this exact gate and admired the view?

Pochikichi: No. That's the important distinction. The connection belongs to theater and legend, not a documented visit by Goemon. Remember, this present gate was only built in 1628.

Pochika: A spectacular view and a dramatic legend! Is there anything else special about the upper level?

Pochikichi: Yes. It contains Buddhist images, including a seated Shakyamuni Buddha, as well as memorial tablets connected with Todo Takatora's family and retainers. Painted decorations are also attributed to Kano Tanyu and Tosa Tokuetsu.

Pochika: So the balcony is more than a lookout point. It has a religious purpose too.

Pochikichi: Exactly. If you visit the upper level, follow the staff's instructions and any photography signs. If you stay below, take one final look at the upper roof before continuing toward the central hall.

Sources: Nanzen-ji Temple — Sanmon Gate, Official Site (Japanese), Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Historical Guide

4. 04 — Hatto: The Hall That Rose from Fire

Walk through Sanmon and continue straight ahead to the exterior of the Hatto, the temple's central Dharma Hall.

Pochika: Another enormous building! Pochikichi, is this where all the monks sleep?

Pochikichi: No, this is the Hatto, or Dharma Hall. Look up at its broad tiled roof and the huge wooden columns supporting it. This is a central building used for important Buddhist ceremonies and formal services.

Pochika: It looks ancient. Is it from the same century as Sanmon?

Pochikichi: Actually, this building is newer. An earlier hall was destroyed by fire in 1895. The present Hatto was rebuilt in 1909, which was 117 years before 2026.

Pochika: So even temples this famous have to rebuild?

Pochikichi: Many times. A previous hall had been restored around 1479. Later, in 1606, Toyotomi Hideyori supported a major reconstruction. What you see today is another chapter in that long history.

Pochika: What is inside?

Pochikichi: The hall enshrines Shakyamuni Buddha, accompanied by Manjushri and Samantabhadra. Look toward the roof. Inside, the ceiling features a great dragon painted by Imao Keinen.

Pochika: A dragon above the Buddha! Even if I can't go inside, knowing it's there makes me imagine the whole ceiling.

Pochikichi: And here's another interesting detail. The temple repaired the roof and floor in 1990, showing how preservation continues long after a hall is rebuilt.

Pochika: The building looks timeless, but people have been caring for it for generations.

Pochikichi: Exactly. This remains an active religious hall. Observe it from permitted areas and respect any ceremonies taking place. Now let's continue toward the Hojo.

Sources: Nanzen-ji Temple — Hatto Dharma Hall, Official Site (Japanese)

5. 05 — The Hojo: Royal Rooms and Painted Tigers

Continue beyond the Hatto to the Hojo visitor entrance, then follow the designated route through the former abbot's quarters.

Pochika: Pochikichi, this building feels completely different. The rooms and corridors seem so peaceful. Was this where the emperor lived?

Pochikichi: Not exactly. This is the Hojo, traditionally the abbot's quarters. Look at the wooden corridors, sliding screens and finely finished architecture. The complex includes the Greater Hojo and Lesser Hojo.

Pochika: But it does have a royal connection, doesn't it?

Pochikichi: Yes. In 1611, the temple received buildings from the imperial residence for reconstruction. According to temple tradition, the Greater Hojo came from the imperial palace, although historians differ about precisely which building was transferred.

Pochika: So these beautiful rooms have a history beyond the temple itself!

Pochikichi: They do. The Hojo was designated a National Treasure in 1953. The Lesser Hojo is especially famous for paintings of tigers among bamboo, traditionally attributed to Kano Tanyu.

Pochika: Actual tigers in a Zen temple? That's unexpected!

Pochikichi: Painted tigers, Pochika! And here's a conservation detail. In December 2011, eighty-four of the Greater Hojo's one hundred and twenty-four original sliding-panel paintings were placed in storage to protect them from further deterioration.

Pochika: So what do visitors see now?

Pochikichi: Carefully reconstructed paintings based on digital images, with colors restored to evoke their earlier appearance. The temple uses them to help visitors appreciate the rooms while protecting the originals.

Pochika: That's clever! Even centuries-old art can have a new chapter.

Pochikichi: Please follow the photography signs and don't touch the screens. Next, we'll see the famous garden beside these rooms.

Sources: Nanzen-ji Temple — Hojo, Official Site (Japanese), Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Historical Guide

6. 06 — Tigers Crossing Water: The Hojo Rock Garden

Sit or stand at the permitted viewing veranda facing the Greater Hojo's dry landscape garden.

Pochika: Pochikichi, I see pale gravel, a wall and some carefully placed rocks. Where are all the flowers? Is this garden unfinished?

Pochikichi: Not at all. This is a karesansui, a dry landscape garden. Look toward the far left, where the larger stones gather beside the wall. Then notice the broad, open space of white gravel extending toward the right.

Pochika: It feels almost like a painting with lots of empty paper.

Pochikichi: That's a lovely way to see it. The garden is traditionally attributed to Kobori Enshu and is considered an important example of early Edo-period garden design.

Pochika: But you promised me tigers. I still don't see any!

Pochikichi: Here's the secret. The garden is popularly called Tora-no-ko Watashi, or Tigers Crossing with Their Cubs. The stones are traditionally imagined as a tiger and its cubs crossing water.

Pochika: Oh! So the gravel becomes the water, and the stones become the tigers. That's much more interesting than a flower bed!

Pochikichi: And nothing actually moves. The interpretation happens in your imagination. The garden was designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 1951.

Pochika: I could watch this for ages. Every time I look, the stones seem to tell a slightly different story.

Pochikichi: Notice the wall behind them, too. Its horizontal bands give the composition a quiet backdrop. Take a moment to enjoy the stillness before we leave. Stay on the viewing route and never step onto the gravel. The open space is just as important as the stones.

Sources: Nanzen-ji Temple — Gardens, Official Site (Japanese), Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Historical Guide

7. 07 — Suirokaku: The Roman-Looking Aqueduct

Leave the Hojo area and follow the public path toward the Suirokaku aqueduct, stopping beneath its tall red-brick arches.

Pochika: Wait! Pochikichi, did we accidentally leave Kyoto? Those red-brick arches look like something from ancient Rome!

Pochikichi: We're still at Nanzen-ji. This is Suirokaku, an aqueduct belonging to the Lake Biwa Canal system. Look along the repeating brick arches and notice how the structure curves through the temple grounds.

Pochika: So it's a bridge? Where's the road?

Pochikichi: It's a bridge for water. The aqueduct carries a branch of the canal through the temple grounds. It's 93.2 meters long and approximately nine meters high.

Pochika: Water from Lake Biwa comes all the way here?

Pochikichi: Yes. The first Lake Biwa Canal was completed in 1890, exactly 136 years before 2026. Kyoto had been adapting after the capital moved to Tokyo, and the canal helped develop transportation and new industries.

Pochika: A modern water system running through an old Zen temple. That sounds like a strange combination!

Pochikichi: And that's what makes it fascinating. Engineer Sakuro Tanabe was given responsibility for overseeing the canal's construction in 1883. The project brought modern engineering into Kyoto's historic landscape.

Pochika: So the arches aren't just decoration?

Pochikichi: Not at all. They are part of a genuine waterway. Look up toward the top of the brickwork, then step back to appreciate the whole row of arches.

Pochika: That's my favorite fact so far! A water bridge hidden inside a Zen temple!

Pochikichi: Enjoy the view from the public path. Please don't climb onto the structure or enter restricted areas. We'll now head back toward Sanmon and visit Tenjuan.

Sources: Lake Biwa Canal — Suirokaku, Official Guide, Lake Biwa Canal — Historical Milestones, Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Historical Guide

8. 08 — Tenjuan: A Garden for the Founding Master

Return toward Sanmon and enter Tenjuan on the south side of the main gate if it is open, stopping at the permitted viewing area of its eastern rock garden.

Pochika: Pochikichi, we've found another peaceful garden! Is Tenjuan part of Nanzen-ji, or is it a completely different temple?

Pochikichi: Tenjuan is a subtemple of Nanzen-ji. It was established in 1339, exactly 687 years before 2026, as a memorial place for Mukan Fumon, the Zen master who became Nanzen-ji's founding abbot.

Pochika: So this place remembers the monk who helped start everything?

Pochikichi: Exactly. Its establishment was authorized by Emperor Kogon, and the monk Kokan Shiren was involved in founding it. The buildings later suffered during Kyoto's centuries of conflict.

Pochika: But the garden looks beautifully cared for now.

Pochikichi: Look at the white gravel, green moss and arranged stones in the eastern garden. Tenjuan was revived in 1602 by Hosokawa Yusai, a warrior and cultural figure. That was 424 years before 2026.

Pochika: A warrior rebuilding a peaceful Zen temple. Kyoto has some amazing contrasts!

Pochikichi: And here's a special detail. Tenjuan preserves important paintings associated with Hosokawa Yusai and his wife, as well as sliding-door paintings by Hasegawa Tohaku. Those treasures are not normally open for public viewing.

Pochika: So there are hidden masterpieces here too!

Pochikichi: There are. But the gardens are what we'll explore today. The eastern garden is a dry landscape composition. The southern garden, which we'll visit next, has a pond and walking paths.

Pochika: Two different gardens in one temple! I want to see them both.

Pochikichi: First, enjoy the contrast between the white gravel and moss. Stay on the designated route, and remember that Tenjuan remains a religious place.

Sources: Tenjuan — Kyoto City Official Tourism Guide (Japanese), Tenjuan — Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation (Japanese), Tenjuan — JR Central Kyoto Travel Guide (Japanese)

9. 09 — Tenjuan's Pond: A Quiet Kyoto Farewell

Follow Tenjuan's designated garden route toward its southern pond garden, then return to the entrance for the end of the tour.

Pochika: Oh, Pochikichi! This garden feels different again. Instead of a wide sheet of gravel, there's water surrounded by trees. I think this might be my favorite part of Nanzen-ji.

Pochikichi: This is Tenjuan's southern pond garden. Look at how the water, stones, trees and surrounding greenery come together. Unlike the dry eastern garden, this is a pond garden designed to be experienced along its paths.

Pochika: It's hard to believe the giant Sanmon Gate and that red-brick aqueduct belong to the same place.

Pochikichi: And that's the story of Nanzen-ji. Its origins reach back to Emperor Kameyama and the founding of the temple in 1291. Later generations rebuilt its halls, remembered its religious founders and brought modern engineering into the grounds.

Pochika: So in one visit, we've traveled through centuries of Kyoto history!

Pochikichi: Exactly. And here's something worth telling your friends. The same temple complex contains a great Zen gate, a National Treasure Hojo, a celebrated dry landscape garden and an aqueduct that carries water from the Lake Biwa Canal system.

Pochika: That's quite a collection! Where should we go next?

Pochikichi: For more temple gardens, head toward nearby Eikan-do. Or continue north toward the Philosopher's Path, which eventually leads toward Ginkaku-ji.

Pochika: Another beautiful walk! But first, I want one last look at this pond.

Pochikichi: Take your time. Stay on the marked paths and leave the garden just as you found it. Thanks for exploring Nanzen-ji with us.

Pochika: See you at the next stop! And remember, in Kyoto, even a quiet garden can tell an extraordinary story.

Sources: Tenjuan — Kyoto City Official Tourism Guide (Japanese), Tenjuan — Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation (Japanese), Nanzen-ji Temple — Kyoto City Official Travel Guide, Tenjuan — JR Central Kyoto Travel Guide (Japanese)