On April 1, 2023, we visited "Jakko-in" after a 2.5km drive from "Sanzen-in" in Kyoto Ohara. Jakko-in is a quiet temple located in Kyoto Ohara, said to have been built by Prince Shotoku to mourn the passing of his father, Emperor Yomei. It is also known as the place where Emperor Takakura's daughter, Kenreimon-in Noriko, lived in seclusion after the fall of the Heike clan, and is associated with the "Tale of the Heike." We climbed the stone steps to the main hall of Jakko-in, where we paid our respects and sat on the veranda. We enjoyed a tea ceremony for 500 yen, which included matcha and an original sweet with red shiso. The sweet, similar to rakugan, had red bean paste inside. It was a peaceful moment overlooking the pond in front of us. This was our second tea ceremony of the day, following our visit to Sanzen-in. Although we may not have followed tea ceremony etiquette perfectly, sitting on the blue felt mat brought a sense of calmness and good posture. Thank you for the meal!

In April 2023, I visited Ohara for the first time in about 9 years. I enjoyed the full bloom of cherry blossoms at Sanzenin Temple and had lunch at Somushi Ohara, followed by a visit to Jakko-in Temple. This time, I had tea on the veranda of the main hall at Jakko-in Temple. The tea ceremony fee was 500 yen. The total amount spent includes the entrance fee of 600 yen and the tea ceremony fee of 500 yen. I enjoyed the Jakko-in Temple original sweets, shaped like a chrysanthemum flower, with two types available - red and white. I chose the white one, which had red perilla salt from Ohara and a refined sweetness in the sweet bean paste inside. It was delicious as always. I enjoyed matcha while looking at the pond in front of me. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

Temple visit. Visited Jakkoin Temple in Ohara. Took a break at a standing tea room on the way to pay respects. The nun who served the tea told me that Jakkoin Temple was where Tokuko, the daughter of Kiyomori, lived in seclusion after the fall of the Heike clan. The temple grounds have a stone monument marking the site of Tokuko's hermitage, as well as a bell symbolizing the impermanence of all things. I enjoyed my tea while listening to these stories in a serene atmosphere.

This time, I visited a temple called Jakkoin, located about a 15-minute walk from Kyoto Ohara Bus Stop. It was a cold day with a light dusting of snow from the previous night, and as I walked up the slightly uphill rural road, Jakkoin came into view. Due to the impact of the coronavirus, there were hardly any tourists, and most of the shops were closed. - Visit: Around 10:00 am - Temple: Paid an admission fee of 600 yen at the reception At Jakkoin, there is a tradition of eating pumpkins on the Winter Solstice for good health, and every year from December 19th to 21st, they offer free pumpkins to visitors for three days. It is believed that eating foods with the sound "n" on the Winter Solstice brings good luck, hence the tradition of eating pumpkins, which sounds like "nankin" in Japanese. Normally, visitors can enjoy the pumpkin at the reception hall, but this year they are offering it for takeout to avoid crowding. After leaving the temple, I received a large, sweet and fluffy pumpkin at the entrance gate. Jakkoin is said to have been built in 594 AD by Prince Shotoku to mourn the death of his father, Emperor Yomei. On the other hand, in the late Heian period during the Genpei War, one survivor of the Taira clan, Taira no Tokiko, entered the Buddhist priesthood and became known as Kenreimonin. In 1185, she became the third head priest of Jakkoin. These stories explain why Kenreimonin (Taira no Tokiko) is considered the tragic heroine of the Tale of the Heike. To conclude, let's end with a passage from the Tale of the Heike: "The sound of the bell at Gion Temple echoes the impermanence of all things. The color of the flowers on the sara trees reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night." This timeless lesson still resonates today. Thank you for the meal.

Matcha for 300 yen. Entrance fee is 600 yen. Snacks were out of stock, so I only had matcha. The guide provided a brief explanation during the tour. The main temple and the main statue are new, but the treasure hall has a few valuable items to see.

June 1, 2014. Left Osaka before 9 am and drove towards Ohara in Kyoto. It's been about 7-8 years since I last visited Ohara. Along the way, I stopped at "Sato no Eki Ohara" to do some shopping before heading to Jakkoin temple. In front of the entrance to Jakkoin, there was a shop called "Suigetsu" selling pickles and preserved foods, so I did some shopping there first. Then, I paid the entrance fee of 600 yen and entered the temple grounds. I visited the main hall, the Senne no Komatsu tree, the Tei Pond, and the Yukimi Lantern before returning to the entrance. I paid the tea ceremony fee of 500 yen at the reception and entered the building through the side gate next to the entrance. After taking off my shoes and sitting down, I was served matcha tea and a sweet called "Ohara Gokou," which had pickled red shiso leaves inside. The sweet was shaped like a chrysanthemum flower with beautiful red and white colors. The matcha had a slight sweetness and bitterness, overall smooth and mellow. The "Ohara Gokou" sweet had a subtle taste due to the pickled red shiso leaves, but it paired well with the sweet bean paste inside. It was just the right size too. It was a premium experience to enjoy a unique sweet like this only at Jakkoin temple. I had a relaxing time on the veranda, looking out at the garden. Thank you for the treat.

After visiting Jakkoin, I happened to notice a tea room at the entrance as I casually looked at the amulets. They offered a matcha set with Japanese sweets for 500 yen and a sencha set for 350 yen. Since Jakkoin was the main purpose of this trip, I didn't hesitate to stop by. I requested it at the reception, opened the wooden fence next to it, and walked down a narrow path to the entrance. I was guided to a beautiful tatami room after turning the corridor from the entrance. There were no other customers, and I sat politely on the indigo blue mat waiting. The quiet and calming atmosphere of the garden visible from the veranda was quite soothing. I wondered if Kenreimonin-sama also enjoyed such a view during her tea time. As I pondered on such thoughts, the tea and Japanese sweets were brought to me. The Japanese sweet had a purple shiso-colored and flavored outer layer with red bean paste inside. It may sound like the typical green tea and Japanese sweet served at a ryokan, but the precious experience I had at Jakkoin left an unforgettable memory on this trip. I intended to spend a leisurely time, but the space was so lovely that I felt like I wanted to stay here even longer. Emotionally, this was the best tea experience of the trip.