Saihō-ji

The city of Kyoto has over 1,600 Buddhist temples. While this is a very large number, it often feels like this isn’t enough. Famous sites such as Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Ryōan-ji are often seen over the shoulders of hundreds of other visitors, who tend to be cropped out of social media posts. In this environment, it may seem difficult to find a profound experience with this ancient, sacred city. Still, amongst this chaos, there is at least one temple that has done its best to limit rather than encourage visitation.

Saihō-ji is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple on the western edge of Kyoto, below the slopes of Arashiyama. The name means “Temple of the West Fragrance” and is dedicated to Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Pure Land. The temple is also known by another name: Kokedera, the Moss Temple. The garden is drenched in moss, in over 120 varieties. The moss arrived as something of a happy accident during the Meiji era, as the temple lacked funds to maintain the more tidy gardens of the past.

Famed for its moss garden, Kokedera was once one of the most popular and visited temples in Kyoto. However, in 1977, the temple made the decision to end walk-up visits. One would have to reserve their place in advance by postcard. Additionally, one would have to engage in one of the temple’s spiritual activities. For most guests, this takes the form of copying a sutra. The words are faintly written on the paper, so visitors who don’t know Japanese can simply trace the words.

Once the sutra is complete, you may choose to take it home, or you may donate it to the temple for ritual use. Only then can you enter the beautiful moss garden. The many shades of moss are fascinating when viewed up close as tiny forests, and breathtaking in their totality, making the entire forest look like one great, living entity. It is no wonder that this garden is a representation of the Buddhist Pure Land.

As entry has become more exclusive, Kokedera has lost some of its fame. It is generally left off of online itineraries, possibly due to the inconvenience of scheduling a visit. However, for those few who make the trip, it is one of the most enriching experiences they will have in Japan. Whether calmed by the act of copying the sutra, the lovely moss landscape, or a shared reverence for the moment, visitors tend to keep their voices down and quietly enjoy the garden. It is the type of encounter that will leave you with a deep sense of wonder for nature, and perhaps, a little more faith in humanity.