Kennin Ji

#summervacay Kennin‑ji is Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple, founded in 1202 by the monk Eisai, who introduced Zen Buddhism and tea cultivation to Japan . It stands in central Gion (Higashiyama) and ranks among Kyoto’s “Five Great Zen Temples” (Gozan). Chokushimon Gate (Imperial Envoy Gate) bears scars from the Kamakura era, symbolizing its enduring history. Inside the Hatto (Dharma Hall) is the “Twin Dragons” mural (11.4 × 15.7 m), painted in 2002 to mark the temple’s 800th anniversary . The Hojo (Abbot’s Quarters) features exquisite sliding-door art by Kaiho Yusho and the famous Wind and Thunder Gods folding‑screen, a reproduction of Tawaraya Sotatsu’s masterpiece . #kennin #kenninji #kenninjitemple #japan