Sacred Places of Asia
One of the most fascinating parts of Japan is the Japanese gardens, which are not only sublimely beautiful, but are havens of tranquillity and peace. That is the reason why anybody who was visiting sacred places in Japan is going to look for the gardens. That is the same thing with Ryoan-ji, which is located in Kyoto. The Temple of the peaceful Dragon has been around for seven centuries.
When Katsumoto Hosokawa ordered this garden built in 1473, he wanted a place where he could sit and meditate about the futility of human endeavour and materialism. This is the place where the most beautiful garden in Japan, the Zen Garden is located. 15 stones are set in groups of 5, 3, 2, 2 and 3. In such a manner, that you can go anywhere in the garden and look at the stones from a vantage point. Only one group of stones is going to be hidden from your view.
One can come here to meditate if he is sure that he has brought a pair of earplugs with him. Because his meditation is going to be disturbed by noisy and chattering groups of people asking each other to pose before at the rocks, because somebody wants to take a photograph. On the other hand, people wanting to know more about the meaning of flat white expanse with just stones placed on it might disturb you.
If you say that this is the place of medication, where you can meditate upon the emptiness of every worldly experience, you are going to get a look of blank incomprehension. Therefore, naturally, the best time to go and see the garden is when the snow and the rain are keeping all tourists indoors!
