Manpukuji Temple Garden

An Obaku Zen Sanctuary

Founded in 1661 by the Chinese monk Ingen, Manpukuji is the head temple of the Obaku school of Zen Buddhism. Its halls follow a Chinese Ming-dynasty layout found nowhere else in Japan, making it one of the country's most distinctive religious complexes.

Gardens and the Lotus Pond

The lotus pond framed in this view is a centerpiece of the grounds, ringed by pines, maples and carefully tended plantings. The cultivated landscape shifts gently through the seasons, offering an ever-changing yet timeless scene of monastic tranquility.

Important Cultural Properties

Twenty-three principal buildings, corridors and tablets are designated National Important Cultural Properties. Preserved much as they were at its founding, the well-kept structures form one of Japan's most representative Zen monastic ensembles.

A Living Place of Worship

Set in Uji, a town renowned for green tea, Manpukuji remains an active place of practice and pilgrimage. Visitors come for fucha vegetarian cuisine, seasonal lantern events and the quiet rhythm of a working Zen community.