Nanzen-ji Temple

Nanzen-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple, established in 1281 by Emperor Kameyama. It's the head Temple of the Nanzen branch of Rinzai sect, the "first temple of the Land" . It encompasses 660,000 square meters at the base of the Higashiyama Mountains and has 12 sub temples.

Outstanding features:
72 foot Sanmon Gate
Hoko Garden, a dry landscape rock garden, the abbot's quarters with screen paintings by the Kano School including many tigers (unfortunately no photos allowed of almost all of these), and an aqueduct constructed in 1890 to bring water from the Lake Biwa Canal.

Why it was high on my list: tigers, leopards and aqueduct.Read more