ABOUT
About this spot
Saihoji is a temple in the wooded hills of Matsuo, in Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto. Its garden is covered with about 120 kinds of moss, which is why it is widely known as Kokedera, the Moss Temple. It is registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Tradition holds that the site was once a villa of Prince Shotoku and that the priest Gyoki turned it into a temple in 731. In 1339 the garden was laid out by the famed garden designer and monk Muso Soseki, and the temple became Rinzai Zen. The garden is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. Its lower section is a stroll garden around the heart-shaped Golden Pond, with three small islands and moss covering the ground. The Shonantei tea house is an Important Cultural Property. Visits require advance application, and visitors take part in a religious activity such as sutra copying. Booking methods and fees change, so please check the latest information before you go. The nearest station is Matsuo-taisha on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line, about a 25-minute walk, and Kyoto buses stop at Kokedera-Suzumushidera.
Last updated October 23, 2026