Tenryu-ji Temple

**Borrowed scenery appreciation:** The garden's design layers: foreground pond with islands, middle-ground pine trees, background Arashiyama mountains. Sit on the temple's main hall veranda (縁側, engawa) to experience the composition as intended — the hall frames the garden like a scroll painting. Different seasons shift the borrowed scenery: spring cherry blossoms, summer green, autumn crimson maples, winter bare branches. **Cloud Dragon ceiling:** The temple's main hall (Hojo) features a cloud dragon painting on the ceiling, created in 1997 by contemporary artist Kayama Matazo. The dragon's intense gaze follows viewers as they move through the hall — an optical illusion created through precise perspective. Photography allowed (rare for temple interiors). **Shigetsu restaurant:** The temple operates a shojin-ryori (精進料理, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) restaurant in the north garden. Lunch sets (¥3,300–5,000) feature seasonal vegetables, tofu, and mountain vegetables prepared with centuries-old temple recipes. Reservation required (0775-882-9725), worth experiencing authentic temple cuisine in the temple itself.