Kyoto’s Saihō-ji Temple Gains UNESCO World Heritage Status with Its Moss

Saihō-ji Temple, affectionately called the Moss Temple by Kyoto locals, was founded 1,300 years ago by the famed priest Gyōki of the Nara period. It was revived 650 years ago by the prominent Kamakura-period monk Musō Soseki, who established its current scale. Musō was also a celebrated garden designer, and Saihō-ji became his personal expression of a Zen paradise. The overall garden is divided into upper and lower sections: the upper part is a karesansui (dry landscape) garden, while the lower part is a pond-and-stream stroll-style garden. Though the temple has suffered through wars and periods of abandonment, the lack of human activity led to an explosion of moss that spread across the grounds, unexpectedly creating a profound and fantastical estate. The beauty of the moss is most striking on rainy, overcast days. In the damp and shaded corners, life flourishes vibrantly. Occasionally, when sunlight breaks through, the dark green moss glows with a soft halo. Surrounded by the cool serenity and gazing at the lush velvet-like expanse, you might almost feel as if a wave of green is crashing over you. Such a mysterious and ethereal atmosphere emerges from such a confined and somber space — it’s as if the romanticism of Tang Dynasty poets has sprung to life.

 

The Moss Temple is most beautiful during the rainy season. In the misty rains of June and July, the moss grows wildly. With over 120 varieties, each type is uniquely delicate and strange, yet together they form a lush, soft carpet. From the microscopic to the grand, you can take in the full richness and splendor of the season. Photographers also love this time of year — the light is hazy yet delicate, and the green takes on layers and rich tones. That’s why we chose to visit in late July to capture the most vibrant greens of summer.

Just five minutes’ walk from the Kongo Pond feels like entering a whole new world. Walking further to the Shōnan-tei tea house and the Tannō-boku-tei, you can better appreciate the meandering, mystical atmosphere of the mountain-water landscape. The lower garden centers around the Kogane Pond, with its shores and the Asahi and Yūhi islets creating layered scenery, reminiscent of the foundational three shores and two bays of ink-wash painting — only here, the soft moss adds a layer of deep indigo. The green woods on both banks stretch out like a canopy overhead, and the pond reflects the vast, murky green. A brightly colored koi fish darts through the water, leaving behind rippling green light.

 

I specifically sought out the best photo spot for the pond-and-stream stroll garden, as mentioned by photographer Kenzō Yokoyama — the view from between Shōnan-tei and the main gate looking toward Kogane Pond, with its layered, profound, and lofty scenery. But I personally preferred the view from the footbridge near Tannō-boku-tei, where the wild, sprawling forest, the ancient tree trunks, and the serene pond tinted even the sunlight with haze, making the mossy green seem to dance. Don’t forget to step inside Tannō-boku-tei and peer out through the round window of the tea room — the landscape garden transforms into a framed painting.

 

Besides the rainy season, another great time to visit is in late November during the maple leaf season. When fallen red leaves contrast with the soft green carpet, and the pond shimmers with a kaleidoscope of colors, every view — whether from afar or up close — is picturesque.

 

A single morning spent under this light feels like a journey through a thousand years, connecting with the poetic sentiments of the Tang people and sharing in a mysterious, serene dreamland. A thousand years ago, Japan sent envoys to Tang China; a thousand years later, the people of Kyoto still live in the remnants of those Tang dreams.

 

[Info]

Saihō-ji Temple

Address: 56 Matsunoo Kanga-cho, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)75-391-3631

Hours: By appointment only, with two time slots per day (morning and afternoon). You must attend the sutra chanting at the designated time indicated on your return pilgrimage card to gain entry to the garden.

Fee: An offering fee (kiganryō) of ¥3,000 is required for entry.

Website: Kyoto Prefecture Official Website www.pref.kyoto.jp/isan/saihouji.html

Notes: Please include your desired visit date, number of people, the representative’s name and address in your reservation letter, along with a return postcard. The letter must arrive at least one week before your intended visit. Bring the return pilgrimage card and the offering fee upon your visit. Please note: Postage stamps issued in Taiwan cannot be used to mail directly back to Taiwan from Japan. The return postcard must have a ¥70 Japanese postage stamp affixed.

 

 

●  Further Reading:

15 Best Places to See Autumn Leaves in Kyoto – Japan’s Fall Foliage Hunt

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