Zen Gardens and Temples of Kyoto: A Guide to Kyoto's Most Important Sites

It explains multiple aspects of zen, covering a wide range of topics and easily understandable. Many illustrations of the gardens with explanations facilitate the learning.

The detailed history and origins of Zen in Japanese religion and culture in the early part of the book is fascinating, at times surprising. The text and illustrations for Kyoto's specific temples and their gardens particularly pleased me when trying to understand the whys and wherefores of specifically Zen gardens. A great source of reference if you have a passion for Japanese history, architecture, and particularly gardens.

I have most books available on Japanese gardens. This one is an excellent summary of those in and around Kyoto.

Nice pictures and a good introduction to Kyoto. However this is far from a practical guidebook.

This book stands out among the myriad of books about Kyoto and gets to the beating (or is that still?) heart of zen buddhism in Kyoto and how it has been creatively expressed in poetry, art, gardens and temples for hundreds of years. Much more than a guide book this richly illustrated book is there to be dipped into again and again. I particularly like that the original chinese characters for each temple is shown alongside the English translation, thus expanding the possibilities of communicating with people living in Japan and thus enriching the experience by sharing common knowledge. Scrupously researched and beautifully illustrated, this book shows how Zen, far from being a separate esoteric calling, has had its place in everyday life in Kyoto for centuries and is ever more relevant in the world we live in today.

Got this as a present and it looks like I'm going to have to go to Kyoto to see it for myself (as I suspect was the donor's intention). Whilst it's called 'a guide to Kyoto's most important sites' it's not a highly detailed travel guide with maps etc, though it does include key practical information such as temple opening times, local bus lines and regular event info. However, the pictures and writing paint a wonderfully rich picture of a fascinating place. For example, there is an introductory section is 40-odd pages about 'Zen and Japanese Culture' - I'm usually too impatient to read the background stuff properly but this is really good - and then the information and photos for each location are great. It's lovely to dip into, and will be more than that when I get there!

What a simple but BRILLIANT idea to put Kyoto's Zen Gardens and Temples into one very readable, colourful, informative book.John's overview of every major site, along with wonderful photographs by John Einarsen leads us through an authentic journey into the beating heart of the Kyoto experience, which brings us closer to the world of Kyoto's ancient Zen Buddist Culture.John a very clever, local historical with a knack of extracting ancient stories and anecdoes from people living and working around the temples and gardens, shines a light on numerous activities that go on there ...from early morning meditation sessions to food offerings and tea ceremonies and so much more.This beautifully produced book is packed with fascinating facts and photographs and brings the Zen Gardens and Temples into full and thought provoking life!Don't be in Kyoto without this guide! xx

This book is very informative and clearly structured. John Dougill has done a very good job.The photos by John Einarsen are delightful. I have made up my mind to visit Kyoto a second time with this book in my hands, which I am sure will be a great guide and help to rediscover the city.

Beautiful coffee table book of a beautiful part of the world.

Belíssimo livro. Não tenho conhecimento em jardins zen, mas adorei o conteúdo. Recomendado para interessados na cultura estética zen budista do Japão.

A wonderful book. While some of the information about prices, etc is worth double checking before you visit, this is my favorite Kyoto guide. There are places in here I never would have found otherwise (which also meant most other tourists also missed them). A great read all on its own as well.

Même si on visite Kyoto que qqs jours , ce livre est une vraie encyclopédie des temples. Je m'étais procuré tous les guides classiques (Michelin, Lonely Planet, Larousse , National Geo etc etc et finalement celui-ci est devenu mon livre de chevet. Bine écrit et conçu. Superbes images et clairement expliqué. Les origines du jardin de Ryohan-Ji , ya pas un livre qui donne des détails si précis. Pour les vrais amateurs des temples et jardins boudhistes : indispensable.

Das beste Buch über Geschichte etc. der Zen-Klöster. Ein Muß für jeden Kyoto-Liebhaber. Beachten: Es ist nur über die ZEN-Klöster. Weder über Shingon-Tempel noch über Jodo Shinshu noch über andere Richtungen des Buddhismus. Vielleicht ist es für den Neuling erstmal schwer zu verstehen, aber Buddhismus in Japan ist nicht mit Zen gleichzusetzen, das ist nur eine Richtung von vielen, Dennoch sind hier die wichtigen und durchweg großartigen Rinzai-Haupttempel alle drin, und deshalb deckt das Buch eine ganze Reihe großartiger Sehenswürdigkeiten ab. Die Qualität ist herausragend, kein reiner Bildband, sondern durchaus mit fundiertem und der aktuellen Recherchelage entsprechender Beschreibung und Geschichte. Ich würde mir wünschen, daß der Autor genau so ein Werk über all die anderen Tempelgruppen schreibt - ich würde es ihm aus der Hand reißen.