Along the silent stone-paved pathway leading to the Kaisan-do hall, in the calm sunlight of the early afternoon, the colorful flowers of Botan (peony) are blooming as if to praise each other for beauty.
Kaisan-do is the temple hall commemorating its spiritual teachers. A wooden portait statue of Rankei Doryu (the founder of Kencho-ji, 1213-1278) is enshrined here, and, behind it, the tombs of Rankei Doryu and Mugaku Sōgen (the founder of Engaku-ji, 1226-1286) are placed. This building is regarded as the most spiritual place of this old Zen temple.
These peonies are grown by Unsui monks (monks undergoing Zen training) with their whole hearts as a part of the practice and as the beautiful offering to all worship-visiors.
The family crest of Mitsu-uroko (three drangon's scales) of the Hojo clan, which is the founding family of this temple, is printed on the white curtain hanged on the Suzan-mon gate.
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