Lotus pond at Sanmon Gate, rebuilt in 1425, a National Treasure, at Tofuku-ji, a zen temple in Kyoto, Japan.

A lotus pond lies beside Sanmon Gate at Tofuku-ji. After fires in the 1300s, Sanmon Gate was rebuilt in 1425 (refurbished 1969-1978) at Tofuku-ji, a zen temple in Kyoto, Japan. Tofuku-ji's 22 meter tall Sanmon Gate is the largest and oldest Zen gate in Japan — now honored as a national treasure. Sanmon is short for sangedatsumon, meaning an enlightenment gate to nirvana. Founded in 1236 by the Fujiwara clan, Tofukuji is the primary temple of its own school within the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism.

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A lotus pond lies beside Sanmon Gate at Tofuku-ji. After fires in the 1300s, Sanmon Gate was rebuilt in 1425 (refurbished 1969-1978) at Tofuku-ji, a zen temple in Kyoto, Japan. Tofuku-ji's 22 meter tall Sanmon Gate is the largest and oldest Zen gate in Japan — now honored as a national treasure. Sanmon is short for sangedatsumon, meaning an enlightenment gate to nirvana. Founded in 1236 by the Fujiwara clan, Tofukuji is the primary temple of its own school within the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism.