Raikyu-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple dating from the early sixteenth century, best known for its dry landscape garden. The garden is attributed to Kobori Enshu, a major figure in tea ceremony and garden design, and it uses clipped azaleas, white gravel, and borrowed hillside views with elegant restraint.
The temple is an easy walk from Bitchu Takahashi Station and pairs well with the castle descent. After the effort of the climb, its quiet rooms and precise garden feel like the right change of pace.