Kyoto, Japan, July 2003

"Tiger and Cubs" zen garden

This famous zen rock garden is in the center of the temple, in front of the smaller of the two abbot's quarters (the Shohojo). Some also refer to this as simply the "leaping tiger garden." The three medium-sized rocks are the tigers, and the three smaller ones are the cubs; the sand may represent a stream. Paintings on screens inside the Shohojo depict tigers, which perhaps has influenced the interpretation of the garden.

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