Daitoku-ji Temple

One of the main temples of the Rinzai sect, the Daitoku-ji Temple, also known as the Zen Temple of Great Virtue, was established in 1324. The current buildings were built in the 16th and 17th century.

Seven of the 22 on-site buildings are accessible to the general public. These include the Sammon, a two-story main gate built in 1589 and noted for its numerous beautiful ceiling paintings and statues, and the Kara-mon, a Chinese-style gate with superb carvings. The Butsuden (or Daiyu-den), the temple's main hall, was constructed in 1664 and has statues of Daito-kokushi, the first abbot of the monastery, and Shakyamuni with his students Anna and Kayo. Beyond the Main Hall are the Chinese-inspired Hatto Lecture Hall and the Hojo, or Abbot's Lodging, with its paintings, wooden tablet, and adjoining garden.

Address: 3 Murasakino Daitokujicho, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 603-8231