At the entrance, you will receive a brochure which says: “It’s hard to leave this garden” and it could not be truer 😍 I've spent around 1.5 hours there, just sitting and enjoying the view, the sounds, and the scent of trees and mountains (and a cup of Matcha tea with a Japanese dessert that is included in the entrance fee).

The temple really is beautiful, but it is also famous for a couple of things - it has a gorgeous and huge Pine tree in the shape of Mt. Fuji that is over 700 years old and... It has blood stains on the ceiling from a very gruesome event - 370 samurai warriors committed seppuku after they lost a battle at Fushimi Castle (Kyoto) around 400 years ago, and those stained wooden planks on the Castle's floor were then used in a ceiling of Hosen-in Temple.

Overall, the place has a very calm atmosphere, and it is a perfect spot to relax and take a breather if you've already visited the majority of other places from this day's itinerary.