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Funda-in

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Is this tranquility a trick of the light? Welcome to Funda-in, a hidden gem tucked away within the larger Tofuku-ji temple complex. While many visitors flock to the main temple or the more famous sub-temples, Funda-in offers something truly special: a sense of peace and quiet rarely found in the bustling heart of Kyoto. Funda-in was founded in 1321 by Ichijo Tsunemichi during the Kamakura period. It served as the family temple for the powerful Ichijo clan. Sadly, fire ravaged the temple in 1691, but like a phoenix from the ashes, it was rebuilt soon after. Today, Funda-in boasts not one, but two exquisite gardens. The southern Zen garden, rumored to have been designed by the renowned ink painter and Zen monk Sesshu between 1460 and 1468, is a masterpiece of simplicity and elegance. The garden even earned the temple the nickname “Sesshu-ji”. Centuries later in 1939, modern garden master Shigemori Mirei brought his own touch to Funda-in by restoring the southern garden and adding a new eastern garden. As you stand here, imagine the generations of monks who found solace and enlightenment in these very gardens. Their tranquility and beauty offer a timeless escape from the modern world.

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