By Harukawa Film Works

In this beautifully shot video by Harukawa Film Works, viewers are invited to bask in the quiet elegance of Kyoto’s renowned temple gardens during the spring season. The video, titled "Kyoto Spring Garden Scene 3," is a visual meditation on the changing season, showcasing how gentle sunlight, moss-covered grounds, and timeless architecture converge to create a sense of peace and timelessness.

The journey begins at Hōgon-in Temple’s "Shishiku no Niwa" garden, where soft spring light filters through trees and illuminates the mossy scenery. Located in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, Hōgon-in is an important subtemple of Tenryū-ji and is known for its Zen garden, which elegantly balances stones, water features, and manicured greenery in true Japanese aesthetic form.

Next, the video transitions to the Sōgenchi Garden at Tenryū-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site also in Arashiyama. Designed by the famed garden designer Musō Soseki, this garden blends the surrounding landscape into its design, using Horikawa River and the surrounding Arashiyama mountains as part of its natural backdrop. In spring, the garden is particularly breathtaking with blooming flora and reflections rippling across the pond.

The final stop is Genkō-an Temple, tucked away in Kyoto’s quieter Takagamine district. Famous for its round and square windows representing 'Zen enlightenment' and 'confusion in the earthly world', Genkō-an's garden and interiors invite tranquility and introspection. In spring, the interplay of light and traditional architecture wraps visitors in an atmosphere of deep calm.

Altogether, "Kyoto Spring Garden Scene 3" is more than just a visual treat—it's a quiet reminder of the ephemeral beauty of spring in Kyoto, and the deep-rooted cultural appreciation for gardens as spaces of spiritual and philosophical reflection. Ideal for those planning a visit or simply wanting to experience the calm essence of Japanese temple gardens from afar.