Daitoku-ji

Daitoku-ji is a walled complex of Rinzai Zen temples in northern Kyoto, long tied to the tea ceremony and to masters such as Sen no Rikyu. Rather than a single hall, it is a network of more than twenty subtemples, several of which open their gardens on a rotating basis. Highlights include meticulously raked gravel gardens, painted sliding screens, and moss courtyards made for quiet contemplation. The atmosphere is unhurried and scholarly, and matcha is served in some of the subtemples for a small fee.