Visit Nara

Believed to date back to the 7th or 8th century and home to the oldest stone image of Buddha in Japan, Sekkouji Temple is steeped in history. Fittingly, the temple garden is famed for its peonies, a flower first appearing in Japanese literature in the Heian period (794-1185). Of particular interest are the garden's winter peonies (kanbotan) which defy the cold to bloom delicately around the end of each year.