What secrets lie hidden beneath the tranquil surface of Myoenji’s rock garden? Here, at Myoenji, also known as Matsugasaki Daikokuten, whispers of history mingle with the scent of incense. Myoenji is a testament to the enduring spirit of Nichiren Buddhism. Founded in 1295, it stands as one of Kyoto’s oldest Nichiren temples. But its journey through time has been anything but peaceful. Imagine the flames that engulfed Myoenji in 1536, reducing its sacred halls to ashes. Picture the monks, forced to flee to Sakai, carrying with them their faith and precious relics. Yet, like a phoenix from the ashes, Myoenji rose again, rebuilt in a new location in 1542. In 1587, the powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a key figure in Japanese history, ordered its final relocation to its present site. It is said that he even gifted the temple a magnificent stone, now a prominent feature in the serene “Stone Garden of the Sixteen Arhats.” As you stand before this enigmatic garden, let your gaze wander over the carefully raked white gravel, a sea of tranquility punctuated by sixteen dark stones. These stones, each representing a bodhisattva from the Lotus Sutra, seem to hold the secrets of enlightenment. The largest stone, known as Gagyu-seki or “stone of a reclining cow,” is rumored to have been Hideyoshi’s gift. But here’s a secret, look closer, and you’ll find only fifteen arhats represented. The sixteenth, according to legend, is you, the observer, completing the sacred circle.
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Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to