Founded by eisai in 1202, this is kyoto's oldest zen temple and the head temple of the kenninji school of the rinzai sect. modeled after a chinese zen temple, it features stately structures lined up in a straight line from the imperial envoy gate to the sanmon gate, the lecture hall, and the hojo. don't miss the masterpieces of japanese art history, such as the national treasure "wind gods and thunder gods screen" by tawaraya sotatsu and the sliding door painting "cloud dragon" by kaiho yusho (both are reproductions on display). also not to be missed is the ceiling painting "double dragons" in the lecture hall, completed in 2002 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the temple's founding.