Three Ponds along the Foot of the Mountain
The Kongorinji Temple Myojuin Garden (金剛輪寺明壽院庭園) is a pond garden east of the shoin of Myojuin, the head sub-temple of Kongorinji, at Matsuoji, Aisho Town, Echi District, Shiga Prefecture, designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 1990.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs explains that Kongorinji is one of the three great Tendai temples east of Lake Biwa, with Saimyoji to the north and Hyakusaiji to the south.
The name Myojuin first appears in 1673, when it is thought to have succeeded Shosenbo as the head sub-temple.
The Garden
According to the Agency, the garden faces the east side of the shoin, running about 70 metres from south to north in the 15-metre strip before the hillside, with three ponds linked by streams.
The south pond is crossed near its centre by a bridge of three stone slabs, with a triad-like stone arrangement on the slope. The east pond, the heart of the garden, has a stepped waterfall high at the back and an island linked by bridges to the shoin side, with the tea house Suiunkaku projecting over the south bank. The north pond has a waterfall deep in the hillside and a boat-shaped stone like a bamboo-leaf boat.
What to Look For
The Agency notes that no record dates the garden, but it was probably made and remade from the mid to late Edo period along with the rebuilding of the shoin. It skilfully exploits the narrow hillside strip, with robust waterfall and bank stonework of fine technique, and is judged of high aesthetic value as a whole.
An old willow by the bridge to the island, red pines and azaleas on the slope, and giant pines, cedars and cypresses above the high waterfall give the garden depth.
Visiting the Kongorinji Temple Myojuin Garden
Kongorinji calls the Myojuin garden one of the finest in Omi, and its autumn colours are known as the "blood-red maples". Check visiting hours and fees on the temple's website.
By car it is 1 to 2 minutes from the Koto-Sanzan Smart IC on the Meishin Expressway. Enquiries: Kongorinji, 0749-37-3211.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shiga
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kongorinji Temple Myojuin Garden
- [ Hikone Castle & Lake Biwa Cruise Experiences ]
Q&A
- When was the garden designated?
- On 4 August 1990.
- How is the garden laid out?
- Three ponds linked by streams along the hillside east of the shoin.
- When was it made?
- Probably made and remade from the mid to late Edo period.
- What are the Koto Sanzan?
- Three Tendai temples east of Lake Biwa: Kongorinji, Saimyoji and Hyakusaiji.
- When is it at its best?
- In autumn, when the maples are known as blood-red, according to the temple.
Basic Information
| Name | Kongorinji Temple Myojuin Garden (金剛輪寺明壽院庭園) |
|---|---|
| Location | Matsuoji, Aisho Town, Echi District, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Place of Scenic Beauty |
| Year Designated | Designated 1990/8/4 (Heisei 2) |
| Quantity | 1 garden |
| Dimensions | About 70 metres north to south and 15 metres deep |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Check hours and fees with the temple |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kongorinji Myojuin Garden (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/1610
- Cultural Heritage Online: Kongorinji Myojuin Garden (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/201996
- Kongorinji Temple official website (Japanese)
- https://kongourinji.jp/
Last verified: 2026.09.28
