Exploring Japan - A Walk Around the Temple Grounds of Tōfuku-ji

I've been noticing a trend of plant and nature related posts on my Steemit page. When I'm travelling in Japan there seems to be an urge for me to explore architecture and other spaces that might inspire me as a creative. Gardens are a prime location as you can easily see the overall balance and understand how the designers have worked to create something that's cohesive. Obviously this is prominent in every culture but I feel Japan has a special sense when it comes to this type of design. The zen gardens are a perfect example of how nature can be ordered to create a natural looking harmony. Architecturally it's also nice to see how these spaces reach out to nature and look to showcase the beauty of our surroundings.

Tofuku-ji Temple is in the southeastern part of Kyoto and was founded in 1246 by the Fujiwara clan. The name is a combination of Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple, both of these are very famous temples in Nara and are associated with this clan. The temple itself is well known for its beautiful autumn colours when the lush maple trees turn a red/orange colour and can be viewed quite spectacularly from the wooden Tsutenkyo Bridge.

Apart from a general interest in Japanese culture, I came here to see the original Zen architecture and the gardens at Tofukuji Hojo that are modern examples of a zen garden and have a different theme on all four sides. There are some beautiful rock formations and contemporary looking plant placement in this garden! For now I share with you some details from a walk around the temple grounds. I found these wide spaces really fun to explore and easy to photograph. If you're ever in Kyoto you should definitely visit and make sure you pay the small fee to visit the gardens, you won't regret it. More from the gardens in the next post! See you soon.