Standing in the courtyard to the parsonage, to the left are exterior stairs leading to street level, to the right is a door leading to stairs down to the chapel level.

The curved wall ultimately reveals the Water Temple itself.

Having left the parsonage courtyard, standing at the head of the stairs to street level, one has another view of the belltower.

Tadao Ando, architect 1985-86. Connected to the Rokko Oriental Hotel by a long simple covered walkway the church functions primarily as a wedding chapel.

Having ascended the curved ramp and made a right and left turn and a further left turn, one enters the small courtyard to the two-storied parsonage.

Tadao Ando, architect, 1990-91. This is the new main temple for the Shingon Buddhist sect. Over brilliant white gravel one enters Ando's trademark concrete wall emphasizing that one is enterring a special place.

Note the ascending ramp and the fenestration seen in our first exterior photograph.

Passing through the door of the straight concrete wall one continues on the white gravel path around a curved wall which will gradually reveal one's purpose.

What is the purpose of the concrete projection into the midst of the tranquil pool?