At the suggestion of our friends at Hotel Mume, we made advance reservations for entry and took a long cab ride to Saihou-ji....the Moss Garden temple. We entered the gate, not sure what to expect. Took off our shoes, walked into the Temple and participated in a Buddhist prayer service. Then, we reclaimed our shoes and walked the grounds. No... More

This temple is just right in front of Inari JR station. It is a cozy temple and many shops and restaurants surrounding that we can spent the whole day.

I have been putting off going to the moss temple for ages as its very expensive (3000 yen entrance fee), making an appointment is a hassle and copying the calligraphy is a lot less romantic than it sounds. That being said it was really charming. Its best in June which is when we went, and I could see how it... More

The gardens are certainly beautiful and the combination of the late autumn colours and the amazing green moss covering the ground is quite impressive. The buildings are really not so interesting. Generally quite modern. We had to apply in advance for a visiting time as this coincided with the reading of a religious text, a sutra and this was bit... More

The required religious rite was an experience. The garden and pond is so tranquil and serene and is the epitome of all japanese gardens. It seemed so peaceful and was amazingly beautiful.

Saihoji (also known as "kokedera," moss temple) is one of Kyoto's more unique temples: not only do you have to reserve in advance using a special postcard, but you also have to make a 3,000-yen "donation" in order to get in. Before you get to stroll the moss gardens, you first must sit seiza and copy a sutra longhand (the... More

You must make a reservation, copy sutra and pay 3,000 yen but it is so worth it! This is the one temple garden that wasn't swarming with tourist and I felt as if I was in a magical world! It is that great! Go!

You need to book in advance from UK for entry. Nice temple and gardens but the package with the ceremony and the writing is overpriced in our opinion. You may not like the idea of sitting on the floor for 30 minutes plus to trace over Japanese script with brush and ink. You can sit at tables, but outside the... More

More commonly referred to as Kodedera and know as the Moss Temple. Entrance requires a reservation made in advance by mail. And you must particpate in copying Buddhist sutra which can take up to an hour, but worth the effort and part of the experience. The moss gardens are serene, an amazing experience.