Ryōan-ji is renowned for its stunning rock garden, making it one of Japan"s most celebrated cultural heritage sites that draws visitors from across the globe daily. Initially, this temple served as a villa for aristocrats during the Heian Period, but in 1450, it was transformed into a Zen temple by Hosokawa Katsumoto, a prominent warlord of the Ashikaga Shogunate. While the rock garden is the main attraction at Ryōan-ji, the temple also boasts other lovely features, including the Kyōyōchi Pond nestled in its residential-style leisure garden, along with exquisite paintings and artifacts found in the Abbot"s Quarters. In 1994, UNESCO recognized this temple as a World Heritage Site.