Byōdōin is a temple converted by Fujiwara no Yorimichi from the villa inherited from his father Michinaga, with its inauguration ceremony held in 1053. It is a typical Pure Land garden with the Amida hall on the central island facing east; a composition in which it is worshipped from the east shore of the pond as symbol of the western Pure Land. In recent years excavations have revealed that the original pond had a pebble beach shore and a smaller central island than at present, and that the Amida hall would thus have looked as if it had risen up from the water. It is designated a national historic site and scenic spot, and is inscribed on the World Heritage List as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. It is located in the city of Uji, Kyoto prefecture.
Japanese Garden Dictionary: A Glossary for Japanese Gardens and Their History
(C) 2010 by Ono Kenkichi and Walter Edwards. All rights reserved.
