Ryoanji Rock Garden - Kyoto, Japan

One of the highlights for many people is to visit the Rock Garden Ryoanji in Kyoto. It is a garden made in the late Muromachi Period around 1500 and it was made as a meditation garden. Today being one of the most visited places in Kyoto by both tourists and school trips for Japanese high school students it is a bit hard to find the calm for meditation. However it is a stunning place to visit and time of the year. This photo was taken in the springtime of course but if you are lucky to find the garden covered in snow in January it is even more beautiful. Come here early or late in the afternoon for more time alone. The garden consists of 15 rocks laid out in white gravel only and what they form is not to be known. They think that the garden was made by the master Zen munk Tokuho Zenketsu but we can not be sure.  Don't only look at the stones but the wall behind it that has gotten it's nice patina from the clay being boiled in oil before they made the wall of it. Sit down on the temples stairs and just enjoy looking at this masterpiece of Japanese gardening.
To get here you can take the bus from the Kyoto station and the trip will take you about 30 minutes.
When you go here you also have the Golden Pavilion within walking distance.

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