The Honen-In Temple is one of the temples along Kyoto's "Philosopher's Walk."
Walking north from Nanzen-ji on the cherry-tree lined 'Philosopher's Walk' you will find the Honen-in Temple at the foot of Mount Nyoigadake, with its dark carp pond, green surroundings and freshly raked sand garden called Byakusadan, visible as you enter through the main, thatched gate of the temple. Established in 1680 to honor Honen (1133-1212), the founder of the Jodo branch of Buddhism, the temple is especially worth visiting in April for its cherry blossoms and again in the Fall for its magnificent maples. Honen-in also has a small camellia garden visible from Hojo Hall. The Hojo Hall of the temple is opened to the public only in the first week of April and the first week of November, when the temple becomes very popular with Kyoto visitors.
Honen-in occasionally stages selected exhibitions and special music events of to the right of the main Sanmon gate. Reaching out to the wider community has been a policy of the abbot Shinsho Kajita, who became the head monk after the death of his father in 1984.