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Temples & Shrines

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Daikakuji houses the oldest man made pond in the country called the Osawa pond. The temple is the main center for flower arrangement and has branch offices all over Japan and in other foreign countries as well. The temple also offers pottery-making classes. They also send the completed pieces via mail after they have been fired.

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Previously Empepor Saga's imperial villa, Daikakuji is today the main temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. It holds the oldest artificial pond in Japan which harkens Dongting-Hu lake in China. The temple also holds six sutra transcriptions by Heian period emperors. Daikakuji is the main center for for Saga Goryu Ikebana (flower arrangement) and it has branch offices all over Japan and in several foreign countries. The main attraction is the dry waterfall ("Nakoso no taki"). The bridge in front of the waterfall is the first of this particular design. There is a moon-viewing festival on the full moon in September, in which people come to see the moon in the sky as well as its reflection in the surface of Osawa Pond. A seat on a boat ride on the pond includes tea ceremony and koto performance can be reserved. One can take part in the temple's daily Shakyo classes, where one can copy the Hannya Shingyo sutra. There is also a pottery studio which offers a pottery-making class. Completed pieces are sent via mail about a month after they have been fired