Kyorinbo
教林坊

Kyorinbo is a small temple in Omihachiman, Shiga, founded in 605 by Prince Shotoku, and is known for its beautiful rock gardens and especially its autumn colors. The name comes from “Kyo” (teaching) and “Rin” (forest), as it was originally a teaching center surrounded by woods.

Until around early 2000s, the temple was largely abandoned, but a chief priest Hirobe, undertook a significant restoration of the temple, nearly single-handedly rebuilding it from a state of neglect.