Kodai-ji

When Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the warrior who unified Japan, died in 1598, his grieving widow Nene was granted land in Higashiyama to build a retreat for her final years. Celebrated landscaper Kobori Enshu designed her gardens, tea master Sen-no-Rikyu created her teahouses, and Nene lived out her years as a nun in this Rinzai sect temple. Only the Founder’s Hall and Mausoleum survive from Nene’s days, but the temple has gained a large karesansui garden and is now one of the most popular sights in the area. In early March and December, the temple stays open late and is illuminated to stunning effect.