The Hojo (head monk’s living quarters) is surrounded on all four sides by rock gardens, each with its own character. The southern Garden is a dry-stone garden, the western garden contains moss and azalea shrubs trimmed into a checkered pattern, the northern garden contains square-cut stones and patches of moss in a checkered pattern, and the eastern garden has seven cylindrical stones arranged in a field of moss.
The Tsutenkyo Bridge spans a valley of maple trees and is a spectacular site to see. Crossing it brings one to a variety of shrines, including the Kaisando Hall, a mausoleum for the temple’s first head monk. The stone path in front of Kaisando is flanked by contrasting gardens on both sides. On the left is a dry rock garden, and on the right, a lush pond garden. These gardens were built during the Edo Period (1603-1867).
