Tranquility and solitude in the moss garden

Gio-ji Temple, a Shingon Buddhism nunnery, is nestled in deep Sagano, Kyoto. It is a modest thatched hut with a moss garden surrounded by bamboo forests.  The moment you enter the temple, breathtaking moss garden unfolds before your eyes.  Shades of green mosses, ferns, and tall maple trees create Green Paradise.

Tranquility is green here.

The garden was dim after the overnight rainfall.

I felt like I was at the bottom of the sea where little light and sound reach.

People were sparse.

 I broke the silence around me with my shutter release.

Strolling around or standing still,

breathing in the moist cool breeze,

listening to the sound of tsukubai water,

mind and soul relax.

This patch of moss does not look exactly the same as the next patch.

There are many different species of mosses in the garden. 

Moss thrives in a humid environment,

can survive periods of drought. too.

It will turn brown but  will return to its rich green after watering.

Seasonal flowers bloom not to disturb the green-scape
 but to add a little of color modestly.

"The Tale of the Heike" (1240 at latest) relates the story that powerful warlord Taira no Kiyomori (1118-1181) once bestowed his favor on a beautiful "shirabyoshi" dancer (court dancer) called Gio, but eventually banished her in favor of a younger woman in the same profession, Hotoke Gozen. Lamenting her misfortune, Gio was even further humiliated when Kiyomori called on her to perform a dance for his new consort's entertainment. Though she treatened to kill herself rather than submit to such disgrace, Gio'd mother Toji begged her to reconsider so that her family would not follow her to death. So instead, Gio abandoned her status as a "woman" in her society at a young age and entered a nunnery along with her sister Gijo and her mother. Hotoke Gozen feeling guilty for how Gio was treated and realizing that she would eventually meet the same fate soon, left heartless Kiyomori and sought the older women's forgiveness, receiving it and living with them for the rest of their long lives as nuns."

At the small thatched hall, wooden statues of Gio, her family, Hotoke-gozen, Taira-no-Kiyomori as well as the principal Buddhist image are enshrined. (Photography is not permitted in the hall.).

Steps to the thatched hut

A round window, Yoshimo-mado(window),  in the next room to the worship hall

"Gio-ji was built in the precinct of Ojo-in temple that was founded by Ryochin who was a disciple of priest Honen (1133-1212), the founder of Jodo-shu sect of Buddhism. The huge temple was dilapidated before long and the present day Gio-ji survived as a tiny nunnery.

In the year  of the Meiji Restoration (1868), the temple was abandoned due to "Haibutsu kisyaku" (anti-Buddhism movement) and Daikaku-ji took custody of graves and wooden statues of Gio-ji. The head priest of Daikaku-ji lamented over the situation and planned reconstruction of the temple. In the year 1895, Kitagaki Kunimichi, an ex-governor of Kyoto Prefecture, donated one of buildings of his villa that is the present day hall of Gio-ji. Gio-ji is now a sub-temple of Daikaku-ji and belongs to Shingon Buddhism." (Source:here)

The path down from the exit

Going back to the earthly world step by step with peace and serenity.