Note From The Dear Old Moss Temple, Kyoto

Just a personal note here from Koinzan Saihoji, the Moss Temple of western Kyoto, which I had reason to visit today. Didn't know it was the site of a villa (abode? hut? cottage? retreat?) of Prince Shotoku, then lots of water under the bridges, then more gardening mumbo-jumbo until Zen priest Muso took up residence and constructed this marvelous place. But I digress.

But before I stop digressing, I should add that 120 kinds of moss thrives here, something for all of you fans of biological diversity.

I have had reason to visit it frequently, as a matter of fact, and they recognize me there. Today, the kind fellow in a distinguished cloak greeting us at the gate to check if we have the proper post card which allows us to enter or not, later found me sitting in one of the garden's many resting places. He approached me and asked, again as a matter of fact, if I knew the Swedish lyrics of jazz standard Dear Old Stockholm. Well, there I am, enjoying the 120 different kinds of moss and water-under-the-bridges-kind-of-moment in a very exclusive part of dear old Kyoto. What does one say? "Ack mossträdgård du sköna"?

I know I will be looking forward to my next visit.

Image from Kanpai Japan

Comments

Tom O said…
I'm think I may have been to this place - just as well I do and did a journal of my life and times in Japan then. Are there several narrow pathways with little low 'fences' either side? That is a problem (albeit a nice one) is that sometimes marvellous temples get transformed into other towns/cities/villages. What I THOUGHT was Kyoto/Nara was actually Kamakura/Tsumago etc etc.

Ahem, glad Martin you got to make this moss of it...
3:19 am, November 15, 2013
Masa said…
I have not visited Moss Temple yet because of its high threshold.
10:04 pm, December 07, 2013
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