The garden of Shōmyōji temple is a Pure Land garden built under the supervision of gardener priest Shōitsu by the order of Kanazawa Sadaaki from 1319 to 1320. Its condition at the time of establishment is depicted in the painting Shōmyōji ezu narabini kekkaiki. As depicted in that work, a central island was placed in the pond, with an arched bridge extending to its southern shore, and a flat bridge to its north shore. Excavations of recent years have uncovered pebble beaches of the shore of the pond and on the island, as well as the pillars of the bridges. The temple precinct, including the garden pond, is designated a national historic site, and is located in Kanazawa ward, Yokohama.
Japanese Garden Dictionary: A Glossary for Japanese Gardens and Their History
(C) 2010 by Ono Kenkichi and Walter Edwards. All rights reserved.
