The Water Temple

The Water Temple by architect Tadao Ando is a Temple located in Japan built in 1991.

Project Name: Water Temple (Shingonshu Honpukuji)
Architect:Tadao Ando
Location: KOBE, Japan
Project Type: Religious

Project Name: Water Temple (Shingonshu Honpukuji)
Architect:Tadao Ando
Location: KOBE, Japan
Project Type: Religious

The water temple is not just a building but a spiritual journey.

The pathway he designed that leads up to the temple looks like it is leading you up to a white wall but is really is not, instead the pathway begins to lead you to the right forcing you to walk between two curved white concrete walls.

You are then brought to circular pool that reflects the nature surrounding it. The pool is filled to its top which looks like a smooth surface between the water and the perimeter of the pool. As you walk around the perimeter of the pool you reach a concrete stairway that takes you down into the pool.

The stairway is not noticeable until you reach it. The stairway divides the circular pool in half. After going down the neutral colored staircase into brief darkness you reach a corridor that is filled with color and red-yellow light.

As you continue through the circular corridor the color becomes more intense where you then come upon a Buddhist altar.