Rokkakudo

Poor little Rokkakudo doesn’t get much attention in a city packed with far grander temples, but it’s central and historic enough to warrant a quick look. It was built in 587, predating the city, well before Buddhists were rich enough to jazz up their temples with opulent art. This tiny, hexagonal temple claims to be the birthplace of ikebana, as well as the site of a vision that led Buddhist monk Shinran to found the Jodo Shinshu sect