The mosses were a little crispy, seeing as how I visited during the dry hot part of the summer. I think that this temple would be even better to visit during the rainy season in the spring and earlier summer. I am not quite sure that I saw 120 species of mosses, but they covered all the available surfaces on the grounds.
A tree base surrounded by Leucobryum sp.
I have heared about the Japan moss garden for two years. I want to travel there too!
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, you have to make reservations in advance to visit this temple. We had to send a post card with information about the day we wanted to come and who we were. They then sent us a card back confirming and we had to bring this with us to the temple. Also this temple was not free. We had to pay about $40US per person. It did include a 30 minute worship service and the grounds were amazing. I think that it was well worth the money. I hope that you have a chance to go.
ReplyDeleteI will be sure to visit this garden in the future :)
ReplyDeleteI have a other link for you
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/bryopix_flickr/collections/
I visited the Moss Temple in 1980. Unfortunately I didn't know one moss from another at the time. Still, the place made a huge impression on me.That includes the workers with rakes and pointed hats. When I was in Maine last summer in woods that had nearly all-moss ground cover, I was reminded of Japan. (These woods were part of the Nature Conservancy's land in the Blue Hill peninsula.)
ReplyDeleteIn 1980 I must have paid about $20 to the Buddhist group that runs the Temple and there was a brief service which as I recall gave us blessings and made us members. Japan has so many gardens I wish I could have visited - anyone going should look them up as well. -Sally