[Tenjuan | A quiet Zen retreat hidden beside Nanzenji Temple]

Tenju-an: A Quiet Zen Retreat Hidden Beside Nanzen-ji Temple

If Nanzen-ji Temple is Kyoto's majestic gateway, then Tenju-an is like a poem quietly tucked away within a scroll of Buddhist scriptures. This tower, nestled within the temple grounds, is renowned for its vibrant autumn foliage, but through the changing seasons, each moment holds its own tranquil beauty.

Entering the main gate, the first thing that catches your eye is a garden with a winding pond. The water, like a mirror, reflects the dry landscape stone and surrounding pines and cypresses. In autumn, crimson leaves blanket the pond's edge, creating a vibrant shimmering scene reminiscent of a living folding screen. The dry landscape garden on the other side is even more simplistic, its white sands framing the image of mountains and rivers, while a few pine trees stand still, as if time has frozen in time.

Tenju-an is sparsely populated in the afternoon. Sitting on the wooden porch, watching the play of light and shadow in the courtyard and listening to the wind rustle through the bamboo shrubs, one experiences a sense of tranquility, a sense of time slowing down.

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✨ Tips
• Best Season: Autumn's crimson leaves are Tenju-an's most captivating, but spring's cherry blossoms and summer's greenery are equally worth a visit.
• Best Experience: Stroll along the pond's edge, then return to the academy's corridors and sit on the grounds to gaze out over the garden for a truly immersive experience of Zen beauty.
• Photo Tip: Early morning or evening, when the light is softest, capture the blend of pond reflections and crimson leaves.

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📌 Traveler's Notes
The beauty of Tenju-an lies not in its stunning beauty but in its tranquility. Away from the hustle and bustle of Kyoto, it feels like a gentle back garden, allowing one to learn to take a slower approach to travel.

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🔖 Tags
#Tenju-an #Nanzen-ji #KyotoRedLeaves #KyotoGardens #ZenLife #