Kozan-ji

Kozan-ji stands in a cedar forest at Toganoo, a few minutes further up the valley from Takao and part of the World Heritage listing for the monuments of ancient Kyoto. The monk Myoe was given the land by a retired emperor in 1206 and made the temple what it is; his small meditation hut and his portrait sitting in a forked pine are among the things people come for. The building to pay for is Sekisui-in, a National Treasure hall with an open veranda framing the trees. It is also where you see the Choju-giga, the twelfth and thirteenth century scrolls of rabbits, frogs and monkeys behaving like people, often called the ancestor of manga. Be clear about what you are looking at: the originals are held by the Tokyo and Kyoto National Museums, and what hangs here is a reproduction. Myoe is also credited with planting tea from seeds brought by Eisai, and the small plot below the temple is described as Japan's oldest tea garden. The grounds are free to walk for most of the year, with an entry fee only in the autumn foliage weeks.