Saihō-ji

Saihō-ji (in Japanese, 西芳寺, the temple of the fragrances of the west) is a temple zen Buddhist located in the western suburbs of Kyōto. The temple is especially known under the name of Kokedera (in Japanese, 苔寺, temple of foams), because of the 120 foam species which it shelters. The temple, pertaining to the current Rinzai-shu of Buddhism is dedicated to the goddess Amitabha. The temple is registered with the World heritage of UNESCO as a cultural heritage belonging to the temples of Kyōto.

Origin and History

According to the tradition of the temple, the site was first of all the residence of holidays of the prince Shōtoku.
A priest of the Period Nara, Gyoki Bosatsu which founded 49 temples in the central provinces, then transformed it into a temple devoted to the Amitabha goddess. The temple was called already with the origne Saihō-ji but the characters used were different from the current characters (in Japanese, 西方寺, temple of the direction of the west).

A few centuries later, to the beginning of the Period Muromachi, the large priest of the temple close to Matsuo-jinja, Fujiwara Chikahide, to nine the temple of Saihō-ji wanted to give. In the second year of the period Rekio (1339), it was withdrawn in the temple to devote itself to the prayer. There was the revelation which it was to entrust the direction of the temple to distinguished priest Muso Kokushi from the Rinsen-ji temple.

Muso accepted and settled in Saihō-ji. It is him which drew the garden according to its own tastes. Appreciating the art of the Japanese Garden and having talents in this field, it put all its heart in this travail.
Muso Kokushi is regarded as the restorer of Saihō-ji.

The temple was burnt during the Guerre of Onin, was flooded twice during the Period Edo. It fell in ruin. It is thought that the culture of foams is a tradition dating from the end of the Edo period.

Until 1977, the visits of the temple were free. But because of the damage caused with foams, of measurements were taken cause a drop in the number of visitors. From this date, a written request and an offering with the temple were required to visit it. The number of visitors fell. Now, punctuality, of the hymns and a small exercise of Calligraphie belong to the obligations of each visitor, immersing it in the environment of the temple.

The temple

The temple is famous for its single garden where 120 different foam species are cultivated. The garden is organized around a pond whose form points out the Chinese character 心 meaning " cœur".

Around the pond, three houses of The made it possible to benefit from certain prospects for the garden as a practitioner the Cérémonie for the.
Some temples are also around the pond.

Access & Visits

In order to visit Saihō-ji, it is necessary to deposit a request addressed to the temple, whose forms are available to the tourist information center (TIC). It will be necessary to have an address for Japan to receive the answer of the temple.
Punctuality is of rigor when you arrive at the temple.
It is necessary to envisage a donation with the temple of a minimum of 3000¥ per visitor (will give them to you in an envelope).
June and May is regarded as the best to visit it.

One reaches Saihō-ji by bus from the Shijo station located on the Karasuma subway line . It is necessary to go down to the stop Kokedera-michi (苔寺道, in Japanese, way of the temple of foams).

Bonds

The site of the tourist sites of Kyōto (English)

The site of the prefecture of Kyōto (Japanese)

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