September 9, 2024
The Zen temple Ryōan-ji was founded in 1450 by Hosokawa Katsumoto, a prominent figure of the Muromachi shogunate. Today, it is world-renowned for its karesansui rock garden, but it reached such fame after Queen Elizabeth II officially visited Ryōan-ji in 1975 and praised the rock garden. The global breakout of interest was further fueled by the zen boom of that era. Additionally, the precise date of the garden's creation, the identity of its creator, and its intended purpose remain uncertain, leading to numerous speculations and mysteries surrounding it. One of the highlights of the grounds is the Kyōyōchi pond, where the water lilies bloom beautifully from May to July.