- Address: Saihoji Temple 56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8286, Japan
- Foundation date: 700th years BC. e.
- Founder: Göki
- Date of recovery: 1339
- Artist: Muso Soseki (Kokushi)
In the Land of the Rising Sun, there are many amazing places created by man in tandem with nature. One of these is the moss garden of Saykhodzi in the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto .
From the history of the garden
The Japanese garden of mosses was originally conceived as an ordinary park at the monastery of Saikhodzi, but nature was amended in human plans. The temple itself was built during the Nara period (710-794) by the monk Gyoki preaching Buddhism. On the territory of the monastery was a typical garden for that time - with ponds and islets, gazebos and bridges, which consisted of two levels: the lower (garden and pond) and the upper (dry landscape).
Because of internecine wars, the monastery of Sayhodzi was emptied, and the lower level was flooded with water, overgrown with moss and practically perished. At the beginning of the 14th century, the monk Muso Soseki (Kokushi) started to restore the garden, the original ideas of which can be observed in the modern Japanese moss garden.
The device of the garden
The shores of the artificial pond on the lower tier of the moss monastery garden in Kyoto are made in the form of a hieroglyph representing the heart. As at the time of creation, there are ponds and islets, which are chosen for nesting herons. As mentioned above, the mosses were not planned here, but as the garden was growing, more and more of them were growing. Now, with a moss of more than 130 species, most of the trees, stumps, paths and stones are covered.
The creator also paid much attention to the upper tier of the garden. Its stone waterfall, created more than 6 centuries ago, still fascinates visitors to the Japanese moss garden. The waterfall consists of three levels. Its huge stones, covered with lichen, symbolize the two main forces of nature - yin and yang. The stone cascade has its own history. One of the rulers of Japan (Ashikaga Yoshimitsu) chose a stone at the edge of the cascade. From this point he particularly liked the sight of Sayhodzi, and the stone in the garden was called - the stone of contemplation.
There are 3 tea houses in the garden: Shonan-tai, Shoan-do and Tanghoku-tai. The first house was built in the XIV century and is now a historical monument. The second and third tea houses were built much later: Shoan-do in 1920, and Tanghoku-tai in 1928.
Features of visit
Because of the great interest and influx of tourists, the state of mosses began to deteriorate with time. The Government of Japan, declaring the garden in 1977 a state attraction , decided to close it for the general public. Later, the Japanese moss garden was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. But still you can visit the garden with a lot of desire and patience. To do this, you must send a postcard to the monastery in advance with the desired date of visit. If you are lucky enough to be among the lucky ones chosen by the monks, then at the appointed time you will be able to see with your own eyes a truly unique place, paying for the tour around $ 30.
Moving around the garden is possible only on special paths and in a certain sequence. This so-called forced route through the monastery garden of mosses in Kyoto is designed not only to preserve unique vegetation, but also for the visitor to have the right impression, conceived by the artist-creator.
How to get there and when to visit?
It is more convenient to get to the moss garden by bus, which follows from the central station of Kyoto on the route number 73. There is another way: by train to Matsuo station (Hankyu Arasiyama line), from where about 20 minutes walk.
The best time to visit the monastery garden in Kyoto is early autumn. Different shades of green moss play very beautifully in contrast with the red and yellow leaves of the trees. The average time of the excursion is 1.5 hours. During this time, you can learn the history of the garden of mosses, make the most beautiful photos.