Miei-dō was rebuilt in 1639 by the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu.This magnificent hall is of a massive scale, with a length of 35 meters and a width of 45 meters, fitting as the center for the nembutsu teachings and has welcomed many worshippers since long ago.
Sanmon was erected in 1621 by Tokugawa Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun with fantastic architecture of early period of Edo era. It has a height of about 24 meters, a width of about 50 meters. This is the largest wooden tower gates in existence in Japan.
The Yūzen-en garden was redesigned in 1954 in commemoration of the 300th birthday of Miyazaki Yūzen, the founder of the Yūzen style of dyeing. This is a famous modern garden which consists of two gardens: one that draws water from a Higashiyama spring and one in the karesansui (dry rock garden) style.
知恩院は浄土宗の開祖、法然上人（1133-1212）がお念仏のみ教えを広め、入寂された遺跡に建つ由緒ある寺院です。正式名称は華頂山知恩教院大谷寺という、浄土宗の総本山です。江戸時代、浄土宗を信仰した徳川家康公が、当寺を京都における菩提所と定めたことから寺 領が拡大され、現在の大伽藍が築かれました。 This temple is historically significant because it was here that Jōdo shū(Pure Land Sect) founder Hōnen(1133-1212) spread the teachings of “nembutsu-only”(chanting only the name of Amitabha) until his final year, and it is here that he passed away. During the Edo period (1600-1868), the present temple grounds were built when Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun and Jōdo shū follower, deemed this temple to be his family temple.
