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Ryoan-ji rock garden
The enduring image of a raked gravel rock garden reflects the spirit of Zen Buddhism.
One of Japan's most iconic images is a large rock island adrift in a sea of meticulously raked gravel. Karesansui rock gardens date back to the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) as an aid to meditation at Zen temples. The gardens themselves are meant to hint the true essence of nature.
While there are many Zen dry-landscape gardens across Japan, the most famous is at Kyoto's Ryoan-ji temple in the north-west corner of the city. Looking across Ryoan-ji's small rectangle of 15 rocks amid white pebbles, it's left to the visitor to ponder the meaning of it all.
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