Jyoei-ji Temple & Sesshu's Garden

Jōei-ji Temple and the Sesshu Garden were established about 500 years ago when Ouchi Masahiro built Jōei-ji as a villa temple and had the garden created by Sesshu, a ink-painting master and Zen monk. The garden (located on the north side of the main hall) is regarded as a masterpiece of Japanese garden design and was designated a National Historic Site in 1926 (Taisho 15). The garden covers about 900 tsubo and is designed around the theme of “three scenes,” which makes a helpful viewpoint when touring: (1) the relationship between the main hall’s position and the garden, (2) the bamboo grove and the island within the pond garden, and (3) the shoin ruins area on the east side of the dry landscape garden. The garden’s appearance changes with the seasons, and it offers superb scenery no matter when you visit. Access to Jōei-ji / Sesshu Garden: by public transportation, from JR Shinkansen “Shin-Yamaguchi Station,” take a taxi about 25 minutes, or take the JR Yamaguchi Line to “Miyano Station” and then a taxi about 5 minutes. By bus, take a Bocho Bus from Shin-Yamaguchi Station toward Yamaguchi for about 38 minutes, get off at “Sesshutei Iriguchi,” then walk about 10 minutes. By car, it’s about 10 minutes from Chugoku Expressway “Yamaguchi IC,” or about 15 minutes from “Ogori IC.”