It is also known as Saihou-ji and it is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple. It is a Unesco World Heritage Site and entrance requires
a reservation made well in advance by mail. There are about 120 varieties of
moss in its garden. Before visiting the garden, it is obligatory to participate to the shakyo – copying of Buddhist
scriptures. It remains an unforgettable memory for me. Though I have talked about it earlier, I am uploading new photos tonight. Moss has a special place in Japanese culture and I remember having seen one episode of "Begin Japanology" dedicated to it. Moss is koke in Japanese, hence the name Kokedera. Moss gardens are so refined. Because I love moss, one very special friend made the booking and offered me the incredible chance to visit such a wonderful place. I am so grateful. どうもありがとうございました。
whoa: the 6th picture spooked me a bit: I recently watched a movie called "MushiShi" - I think it is based on a manga with the same name. Anyway, its about a traveling bugmaster and there were some spooky events going on in a swamp/lake in a forest in Japan. The lake looked exactly like the one on your pictures :)
ReplyDeleteIt's got an eerie feeling to it, indeed. :-)
DeleteOf course, nature is a source of inspiration for various works - mythology, films, art, literature.