All up, there are a dozen sub-temples on the grounds where the American poet Gary Snyder (Japhy Ryder in Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums) underwent Zen training, and apart from Nanzen-in, Konchi-in and Tenjuan Temple are noted for their gardens, which are said to be particularly attractive in autumn.
They’re lit up at night, so expect crowds if you’re headed that way in peak season, which we’d managed to adroitly sidestep, thanks to Mr Costello’s scheduling..