Tenryu-ji Temple

Ranked first among Kyoto's Five Great Zen Temples, Tenryu-ji embodies the pinnacle of Japanese garden art. Its Sogenchi Pond Garden, designed by the legendary monk Muso Soseki in the 14th century, uses 'borrowed scenery' — framing the wild Arashiyama mountains as a living backdrop. The garden has barely changed in 700 years, a masterclass in the harmony between human artistry and nature.