Hōjōchi Pond

　The lotus flowers at Hōjōchi Pond, situated to the left after passing through the Chokushi-mon Gate at Tenryū-ji, have been blooming beautifully since mid-July. It comes as a surprise, as all that could be seen in early spring were withered leaves.

　There are several famous Hōjōchi ponds at temples in Kyoto, including Tenryū-ji and Eikandō. Based on the fundamental Buddhist principle of non-killing, these ponds are places where compassion is practised by releasing captured fish and other creatures back into the wild.

　The Hōjō-e ceremony, held annually on 15 September at Tenryū-ji, is a service to express gratitude for the fact that human life is sustained by other living creatures, and to pay respects to the spirits of fish, birds and animals.