If you face the front of the Shinden, you will see a garden covered in green moss, this is Yūsei-en Garden. Far on the other side of the garden is a building, Ōjō Goraku-in, which was built during the Heian era.
Next, we will turn our gaze to the Ōjō Goraku-in, but before we do, will take a short break and find a way to explore the story of the garden itself.
Ōjō Goraku is a strange name in Japanese because these are usually said in the reverse order, Goraku Ōjō. This naming itself actually represents a Buddhist principle. Ōjō means death and Goraku means the pure land, so by passing through the pathway of Yūsei-en to reach Ōjō Goraku-in, you are leaving this life and passing on to the pure land. This is meant to provide an experience of what it would be to take this journey.
The Buddha enshrined in Shinden is Bhaiṣajyaguru who is said to protect the present world. Yūsei-en, which spreads out before you, is also referred to as Rurikō-in and represents Bhaiṣajyaguru’s pure land. On the other side of the garden rests Ōjō Goraku-in which holds a statue of Amitabha, who is said to overlook the world of the afterlife. So one could say this is the meeting place of this world and the next.
With the changing seasons, the face of Yūsei-en also changes. The cherry blossoms and rhododendron in the spring, the greenery of the summer, the autumnal leaves in the fall, and the blanketed snow covered landscape of winter. Each changing season brings a different beauty for visitors to experience.
