FUNDA-IN

Funda-in is a small sub-temple of Tofoku-ji built in 1321. The garden of the temple was designed by a renowned painter and garden designer Sesshu in the middle of the 15th century. Neglected during a long period, the garden was restored in 1939 by Shigemori Mirei. The garden faces the Main Hall and consists of a gravel field raked in straight lines followed by a bank of moss where lie two groupings of stones representing a turtle and crane islands, which are symbols of a long life and happiness. Clipped hedges, shrubs and trees create a background for the scenery.