Mōtsūji Temple Tsukiyama 毛越寺 築山
Official explanation
Mōtsūji Temple
Tsukiyama: Mountain-like formations
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Rocks of various sizes specially arranged into a “constructed mountain” (tsukiyama), are an element of the harmony and design of Mōtsūji Temple’s Pure Land-style garden.
The combination of mountain-like rocks rises 4 meters from the water’s edge represents a rocky coastline. The formation uses a rock gardening technique described in the “Treatise on Garden Making” (Sakuteiki),one of Japan’s oldest garden manuals from the eleventh century. Natural landscapes such as mountains and waterfalls are created using only rocks and stones.
Pure Land-style imagery, seeking to represent a Buddhist paradise, was a popular choice for temple gardens during the Heian period (794–1185).
出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.
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