Description of the attraction
Eikan-do is the unofficial name for Zenrin-ji Buddhist temple. The temple received it thanks to its seventh abbot Yokanu (or Eikanu), who lived in the 11th century and was known as a kind and merciful person who helped the poor and built a hospital at the temple. Yokan grew plum trees in the temple garden and distributed the fruits to those in need.
The temple became famous not only for the kindness of the Yokan, but also for the miracle that this monk saw in 1082. Yokan, along with other monks, recited prayers to Buddha Amida, walking around the statue of the deity. Suddenly, the statue came to life, stepped off the pedestal and walked forward, and then the Buddha turned back and told Yokan, frozen in amazement, that he was very slow. The Yokan asked the statue to remain in this position, and since that time there is a stone image of the Buddha in the temple, who looked back. Tourists are attracted to the temple by this statue, as well as the maples growing on the territory of the temple complex, the leaves of which turn bright red in November and set off the architecture of the temple.
During its history, which began in 863, Zenrin-ji temple belonged to different Buddhist schools, and there were even times when the temple adhered to two directions in Buddhism at once. From 1224 Zenrin-ji was taken over by the Jodo-shu school.
In the 15th century, during the civil war, the Onin temple was completely destroyed; its restoration ended only in the next century. In the 19th century, during the persecution of Buddhism, the Eikan-do temple, like many other Buddhist temples throughout Japan, was again destroyed, but then rebuilt again.
The temple complex includes several pavilions connected by bridges. On its territory there is a park, a rock garden and a carp pond. The Tahoe Pagoda offers beautiful views of Kyoto. The temple itself is located in the eastern part of the city.
