Kyoto - Nishi Honganwaji Temple

This temple is about a 15 or 20 minute walk from Kyoto Station. It is one of two head temples of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism in Kyoto.  Both temples are called Honganji, this one being the western or nishi temple. In 1272 the first Honganji Temple was built, but it changed location many times over the next 300 years.  In 1591, it was granted this location in Kyoto. In 1617, a fire destroyed many of the original temple buildings, so some were replaced by structures from the dismantled Fushimi Castle.

I was sitting on a little bench when this wedding party entered the temple grounds. The bride and groom are wearing traditional Japanese wedding wear.

This ornate bell tower was built in 1620, but the bell predates the tower, and was originally the bell of Koryuji Temple in western Kyoto.

The gingko tree in front of the Founder's Hall is estimated to be over 400 years old. The brown and white building to the right is the Scripture Repository.  It was completed in 1678 and holds a large collection of Buddhist scriptural texts.  It was registered as a Cultural Asset in 2014.