Ancient Temples of Sagano: From Rakushisha Hermitage to Seiryo-ji Temple and Osawa Pond at Daikaku-ji Temple

From Rakushisha Hermitage, the hut of Basho's disciple Mukai Kyorai, past Seiryo-ji Temple, known by the name "Saga Shaka-do Temple," to Osawa Pond at Daikaku-ji Temple, which originated as an imperial villa of Emperor Saga. This walking course heads toward the northeast of Sagano, tracing literature, faith, and court history.

History and Regional Appeal

Sagano has been known since the Heian period as a scenic spot where imperial family members and aristocrats maintained detached palaces and mountain villas. In the early Heian period, Emperor Saga built an imperial detached palace called Saga-in here, which later became Daikaku-ji Temple. Minamoto no Toru, Emperor Saga's son and Minister of the Left, also established a mountain villa named Seikakan; after Toru's death, it was converted into a temple called Seika-ji, which is connected to what later became Seiryo-ji Temple. Minamoto no Toru is considered the model for Hikaru Genji in The Tale of Genji, and Seiryo-ji Temple is also said to correspond to the "Saga no Mido" built by Hikaru Genji.

Later, during the Genroku era, Mukai Kyorai, the most trusted senior disciple of Matsuo Basho, maintained a hermitage in the middle of Sagano. Basho also visited here, staying in the early summer of the 4th year of Genroku (1691) to write The Saga Diary (Saga Nikki). From an emperor's detached palace and temples associated with imperial court literature to a haikai hermitage, the historical layers of Sagano are gathered within walkable distance.

Highlights of Key Sights

• ​Rakushisha Hermitage​​: A thatched-roof hut standing on the site of the hermitage maintained by Mukai Kyorai. The current building was reconstructed in the 7th year of Meiwa (1770), and its name derives from the story that almost all persimmons in the garden fell overnight. Sights include a straw raincoat and hat hanging at the entrance, Kyorai's haiku monument said to be the oldest in Kyoto, and a submission box for posting haiku poems.
• ​Seiryo-ji Temple​​: An ancient temple of the Jodo sect. The principal image, a standing statue of Shaka Nyorai, is a National Treasure brought back from Song-dynasty China by Chonen, a monk of Todai-ji Temple. It is called the "Living Shaka" because internal organs made of silk were enshrined inside the statue. The Reihokan (treasure gallery) houses the Amida Triad (a National Treasure), formerly the principal image of Seika-ji; the central Amida Nyorai was commissioned through the vow of Minamoto no Toru. It is open to the public during limited periods.
• ​Daikaku-ji Temple​​: The head temple of the Daikaku-ji branch of the Shingon sect, a monzeki temple (led by imperial lineage) also known as Saga Imperial Palace. Osawa Pond, which Emperor Saga is said to have modeled after Dongting Lake in Tang-dynasty China, has a circumference of about 1 kilometer, is Japan's oldest artificial forest spring garden, and is a National Place of Scenic Beauty. Other highlights include the Shinden, featuring sliding door paintings by Kano Sanraku, and the "Murasame Corridor," which likens its pillars to rain and its turning corridors to flashes of lightning.

Suggested Route & Duration

The general time required is around 4 hours. Rakushisha Hermitage is about a 15-minute walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station. Walking about 100 meters north behind the hermitage brings you to the cemetery of Kogen-ji Temple, where there is a small grave for Kyorai inscribed simply with "Kyorai."

Walking about 500 meters northeast from Rakushisha Hermitage brings you to Seiryo-ji Temple. Pass through the Nio-mon gate, often called the face of Sagano, and pay respects at the main hall (Shaka-do). Daikaku-ji Temple is about 700 meters northeast from Seiryo-ji Temple. The temple grounds are divided into the temple hall area, featuring the Shinden and Godai-do hall, and the Osawa Pond area. For the return journey, city bus and Kyoto Bus "Daikakuji" stops are right nearby, and it is about a 20-minute walk to the north exit of JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.

There are also seasonal events. Seiryo-ji Temple is known for the Otaimatsu ceremony during the Nehan-e (Nirvana Assembly) on March 15, as well as the Saga Dainenbutsu Kyogen performed in spring and autumn at the Kyogen-do hall on the grounds. Cherry blossoms and maples are planted along the shores of Osawa Pond, where moon-viewing evenings are held around mid-autumn.

Summary of the Experience

Feel the spirit of haikai poetry through the straw raincoat and hat at Rakushisha Hermitage, put your palms together in prayer before the "Living Shaka" at Seiryo-ji Temple, and recall the ancient times of Emperor Saga's detached palace by the shores of Osawa Pond at Daikaku-ji Temple. Take a leisurely walk to savor the layered history of Sagano.