Tenryu-Ji

The next stop was the Tenryu-ji, a temple famous for its landscape gardens. Fire has always plagued Japan and like many of the wooden buildings here, the temple itself has burned down numerous times over the years. The garden, however, has survived and is actually considered to be one of the oldest of its kind. It is quite extensive with beautiful ponds, waterfalls and circular pathways, guiding the strollers through the features of the landscape. While sakura and fall are famous for their striking colors, gardens are designed to present a backdrop for seasonal foliage so there is always something new to enjoy.