Formerly an aristocrat's villa, Ryoanji Temple was converted into a Zen temple in 1450. The quiet and meditative Ryoanji Temple is another of Kyoto’s celebrated UNESCO listed world cultural heritage sites. It is this temple that most people around the world envision when thinking about a Zen rock garden. The large rock garden is thought to have been laid out in the 15th century. The time on this visit with your own expert local guide will be focused primarily on the rock garden. It is a large space consisting only of stones, rocks and moss. There are various theories as to what it represents, but one of the most convincing of these is that its meaning is designed to be left to the imagination of the viewer. As well as allowing you to enjoy this meditative time at the garden, your guide will point out some of the other famous, and not so famous features of the temple architecture and artefacts, and discuss the stories and history with you. Depart: 3:00pm Return: 6:00pm Activity Price: $ USD