Honenin

Hōnen In very near Kyoto's famed Philosopher's Path. It is a temple named in honor of Hōnen (1133-1212), the founder of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. He is venerated as the patriarch of Pure Land sects, but since 1953 the temple has been independent of all of them. The temple was founded in 1681 on a site where Hōnen and several of his disciples had once built a hermitage. The temple grounds are beautiful and feature spectacular displays of camellias, cherry blossoms, and fall foliage in season.