The temple was founded as the family temple (bodaiji) of the Hosokawa clan, a powerful shogunal deputy family during the Muromachi period.
The 'Sixteen Arhats Garden' consists of 16 rocks arranged to represent the Buddha's disciples, set against a backdrop of natural forest.
The famous eccentric monk Ikkyu, the son of Emperor Go-Komatsu, lived at Jizō-in from age six to thirteen.
Unlike the heavily trafficked Arashiyama bamboo forests, Jizō-in’s bamboo grove is private and significantly quieter, allowing for focused photography.
The temple is not a major tourist hub, which has preserved much of its original Muromachi-period atmosphere.
Jizō-in, known as Take-no-tera or the Bamboo Temple, is a Rinzai Zen temple founded in 1367 by the monk Hosokawa Yoriyuki. It is distinguished by its dense, secluded bamboo grove that separates the temple grounds from the surrounding Nishikyo residential area. The temple's Hojo building features interior sliding door paintings (fusuma-e) by the artist Reisho. Its main garden, a karesansui (dry landscape garden) known as the 'Sixteen Arhats Garden,' is designated as a place of scenic beauty. The site has historical ties to the Ikkyu-sojun monk, who spent his early childhood at this temple. The temple grounds are maintained for their moss-covered walkways and dense canopy of maple and bamboo. As of August 2026, the temple remains open to the public as a contemplative space.
The elevated wooden veranda looking out over the dry landscape garden with the bamboo grove in the background.
Wear slip-on shoes as you will be frequently taking them off to enter the temple halls.
Bring a microfiber cloth to clean your camera lens, as the humidity in the bamboo grove can cause fogging.
Visit during the early morning to catch the light filtering through the bamboo stalks.
Do not attempt to walk through the bamboo grove itself; stay strictly on the designated moss paths to protect the vegetation.
Occasionally closed for private temple events or maintenance; generally accessible throughout the year.
Remove shoes before entering wooden halls, maintain silence, and refrain from touching the fusuma paintings.
