Kanyou-ji Temple

Overview

Kanyou-ji Temple, a Rinzai-school temple belonging to the Nanzen-ji branch, is located in Kano-kami, Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Legend states it was founded in 1374 (during the seventh year of the Oan era) by Youdo Myoki Zenji. This renowned monk reportedly spent eleven years studying and training in Hangzhou, China, under the tutelage of Zuyuan Yuan Zenji. The principal image of worship is Kannon Bosatsu (Goddess of Mercy), and the temple is designated as the fifteenth site on the China Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage route and the fourth site among the Sanyo Hana-dera Twenty-Four Temples. Kanyou-ji Temple is also celebrated for its exquisite gardens. The gardens designed by Shizumasa Shigemori, hailed as the "Sesshu of the Showa era," showcase various representative garden styles from the Heian period through the Kamakura period and into the Momoyama period. The Kyokusui Garden (winding water garden) in front of the main hall and the Jizo Yuka Garden (Jizo Bodhisattva transformation garden) are in the Heian style; the Hourai-zan Ike Garden (Penglai Mountain pond garden) behind the study and the Kyushan Hakkai Garden (Nine Mountains and Eight Seas garden) to its east are in the Kamakura style; and the Gyokan-shiki Kare Sansui Garden (Gyokan-style dry landscape garden) in front of the three-storied gate represents the Momoyama style. Shizumasa Shigemori was a leading landscape architect of modern Japan, renowned for his numerous masterpiece gardens. The gardens of Kanyou-ji Temple are considered to be among his most outstanding creations. Beyond the beauty of its gardens, Kanyou-ji Temple offers a tranquil and serene atmosphere, perfect for those seeking respite from the urban hustle and bustle.