The Secret Moss Garden in Kyoto

You know Kyoto: golden pagodas, vibrant gates, crowds of tourists. But I want to tell you about a different place. A place worth stepping off the bustling path and getting lost in the quiet streets of the Arashiyama district.

This is Gio-ji.

Here, there are no lines. Here, there is no hustle. There is only the whisper of leaves and the feeling that you've discovered something sacred.

Instead of bright colors, there are 50 shades of green. The entire temple, every stone, every root of the ancient trees is covered in a velvety carpet of moss. It's mesmerizing and calming at the same time.

I sat on the tatami in the main hall and listened to the silence. This is the Japan I dream of—meditative, profound, and infinitely beautiful.

Tip: Visit closer to the temple's closing time and allow yourself to be alone with this wonder.

📍32 Sagatoriimoto Kozakacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto

Post by Anastasiia Dobryshina | Sep 20, 2025