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Funda-in temple

Funda-in, one of Tofuku-ji's sub-temples, has a karesansui (dry landscape garden) that originally was laid out by Sesshu Toyo (1420-1506), a master of suiboku-ga (ink painting) and Zen Buddhist priest. The Rinzai-shu sect temple is also called Sesshu-ji for this fact.

The southern garden is one of the oldest karesansui gardens in Kyoto. It was designed before the style of abstract karesansui was established and some say that it has a style similar to ikeniwa (pond garden). This temple also has interestingly shaped ishidoro (a stone lantern) and tsukubai (a wash basin) in its roji (chaniwa, a tea garden).

History

Kanpaku (the Chief Adviser to the Emperor) Ichijo Uchitsune (1291-1325) founded this temple sometime between 1321 and 1324 as the family temple. The buildings of the temple were burned down in 1691 and rebuilt by Kanpaku Ichijo Kaneteru. The present Hondo building was moved from the imperial palace after a fire in 1755 that destroyed the temple buildings.

The southern garden was laid out by Sesshu sometime between 1460 and 1468. It had been dilapidated since the time of the above fires but Shigemori Mirei (1896-1975) restored it in 1939. Shigemori made the eastern garden at the same time.

How to get to Funda-in

One minute of walk from Chumon gate of Tofuku-ji.

Hours and Admission

9:00-17:00

High school students and older: 300 yen
Elementary school and junior high school students (1st - 9th graders): 200 yen
Children under school age: free

Photos

Click on a photo for full image.

The gate of Funda-in The approach to Hondo Hondo of Fundain
The entrance gate of Funda-in.
November 27, 2008		 The approach to Hondo.
November 27, 2008		 Hondo, the main building. This used to be a building in the imperial palace and was later reconstructed.
November 27, 2008
The southern garden Tsuru-jima and Kame-jima The southern garden
The southern garden that was laid out by Sesshu and restored by Shigemori Mirei who said that this garden has ikeniwa style. The ikeniwa like garden is one of the oldest karesansui garden in Kyoto. There are two islets that are called Tsuru-jima (a crane island) and Kame-jima (a turtle island) in it.
November 27, 2008		 Tsuru-jima on the left and Kame-jima on the right. Tsuru-jima was once destroyed in the early 19th century to expand Ichijo family's graveyards and Shigemori restored it. Tradition says that Kame-jima moved like a real turtle the night after the completion of the garden. Sesshu put a large upright stone on its back and the turtle stopped moving.
November 27, 2008		 A room in Hondo, the main building.
November 27, 2008
The eastern garden Inside of Tonantei tea-house A round window of Tonantei
The eastern garden that was laid out by Shigemori Mirei. A small tea-house called Tonantei is seen on the left.
November 27, 2008		 Inside of Tonantei tea-house that was restored in 1969.
November 27, 2008		 The eastern garden looked through a round window of Tonantei.
November 27, 2008
Roji (chaniwa) Kuzuya-gata ishidoro and Magatama chozubachi A folding screen
Roji, or chaniwa (a tea garden). The wall on the right is Tonantei.
November 27, 2008		 Kuzuya-gata (thatched house type) ishidoro and Magatama chozubachi.
November 27, 2008		 A folding screen.
November 27, 2008
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