Ryoan-ji Temple

Ryoan-ji Temple - Famous for its Zen garden, which is considered to be one of the most notable examples of the "dry-landscape" style. The garden consists of raked gravel and fifteen moss-covered boulders, which are placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle (other than from above) only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time. It is traditionally said that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder. Some say it is the quintessence of Zen art, and perhaps the single greatest masterpiece of Japanese culture. The meaning of the garden's arrangement is unknown and up to each visitor's interpretation. It is considered to be one of the top three Japanese gardens in Japan. Ryoanji is a Zen temple in northwestern Kyoto.