Kenninji Temple

Kennin-ji Temple, founded in 1202 by the Zen master Eisai under the patronage of Minamoto no Yoriie, is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto. At its founding, it housed two halls dedicated to Shingon and Tendai practices and functioned as a training center where Tendai, Esoteric Buddhism, and Zen were studied together. Although the temple experienced cycles of prosperity and decline, it became independent as the Kennin-ji School of the Rinzai Zen sect during the Meiji period and now serves as its head temple. Eisai, the temple’s founder, is also known for bringing tea seeds back from China and promoting tea cultivation and tea drinking in Japan; a tea monument stands within the grounds. The Hojo Hall displays a reproduction of the famous "Wind and Thunder Gods" folding screen by Tawaraya Sotatsu, a treasured temple artwork. The route from Shijo Street through Hanamikoji to Kennin-ji passes through the atmospheric Gion district, bustling with tourists. However, once inside the spacious temple grounds, visitors can enjoy a calm and tranquil atmosphere away from the surrounding crowds. Kennin-ji offers zazen meditation and sutra copying experiences, which are open to visitors as well.