Hosen-in Temple (宝泉院)
Hosen-in Temple is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Tendai Sect located in Ohara, Kyoto. Its address is 187 Ohara, Shorinin-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City.
It is situated deep within the approach to Sanzen-in Temple, which is a well-known sightseeing spot.
History
Hosen-in Temple was founded in 1012 as the monks' living quarters of Taigen-ji Temple (Shorin-in Temple).
Temple precinct
The temple has both the Bankan-en Garden (meaning difficult to leave, and also known as 'picture frame garden') in which a 300 year old sal tree (Shorea robusta) stands and the Tsuru-Kame Garden (viewed through a grating within the building). A 700 year old 'five-needle white pine' is also popular with tourists. These have both been designated natural monuments by Kyoto City. The 'bloody ceiling' within the monks' quarters was made from wooden floorboards from Fushimi-jo Castle to serve as a memorial to the several hundred people who committed suicide under Mototada TORII, a retainer of the Tokugawa clan, during the Siege of Fushimi that led to the Battle of Sekigahara.
Visitors pass through a tatami mat room from which the five-needle white pine in the Bankan-en Garden can be seen and are able to exchange a maccha tea coupon that is distributed at the entrance for a cup of maccha tea and a traditional Japanese snack.
(In the event that the maccha tea coupon is lost, a replacement will be issued if temple staff are notified.)
The Horaku-en Garden is also located within the temple precinct.