Saiho-ji Temple Moss Gardens

Saiho-ji Temple is one of Kyoto’s World Heritage Sites. This area was turned into a temple by the Buddhist monk Gyoki in the Nara Period. In 1339, the gardens were renovated by Muso Soseki, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and teacher who gained considerable recognition during his lifetime as a calligrapher, poet, and garden designer. Muso’s gardens are the highlight of this temple. Approximately 120 varieties of moss grow inside the temple compound, covering the ground in a lush green carpet. Because of this, Saiho-ji Temple is often affectionately referred to as Koke-dera, meaning "moss temple." The garden is divided into upper and lower sections. The style of the upper section is karesansui (枯山水), meaning a dry landscape garden. The style of the lower section is called chisenkaiushiki (池泉回遊式), a style that features paths around a pond. The pond in the garden is shaped like 心, the kanji for heart. (Kyoto, Japan