I visited Rokuo-in Temple in Sagano, Kyoto, last Saturday.

Rokuo-in Temple was built in 1380 by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate.

The sign of the temple gate was drawn by Yoshimitsu, and the gate and the sign have gone through more than 6 Centuries together.

An alley between green moss leads you to the guesthouse. From the guesthouse you can find a simple garden with rocks, camellias, and japonicas having the Arashi-yama mountain in the back. Across the garden, there stands the Shari-den building. Shari refers to Buddha’s remaining ashes, and this building enshrines his remaining tooth. The tooth was invited by Minamoto Sanetomo, the third shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate from the Song Dynasty, China.

As you enter the Shari-den building, you find a large dingy golden color with miniature workmanship tells us how precious the tooth was for the people at the time.

Walking back through the alley, I realized how quiet the temple was. Only a few sightseers there besides us. Rokuo-in Station along Arashiy^-yama Dentetsu Line is the nearest station. The line is more like trams than trains, and I could walk back to its terminal, Arashi-yama Station, on foot. I wonder why there are so few people who try to enjoy the quietness of the temple.