Kongobuji Temple

Before the merging with neighboring temples and reorganized as the head of Shingon Buddhism, Kongobuji Temple was originally constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1593 to commemorate the death of his mother. This temple is well known for its beautiful traditional rooms, tatami halls available for guests to enjoy tea, and the largest rock garden in Japan. The first room visitors come across is the Ohiroma Room, which was used to host important religious ceremonies. On the gilded sliding doors are cranes that were painted by Kano Tanyu, official painter of the Tokugawa Shogunate. In the Willow Room, next to the Ohiroma Room, Toyotomi Hidetsugu was ordered to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) there by his uncle Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Banryutei garden has a size of 2,340 square meters, using stones from Shikoku to map out a pair of dragons flying within the clouds that is said to protect the temple to this day.