Magical Settings
JAN 2025
As a child, my mother used to tell me that moss was where the fairies lived. Remembering those stories, I felt particularly motivated to visit the moss garden at Kyoto’s Saiho-ji Temple during a recent trip, hearing it was covered in a carpet of over 120 varieties of moss. ✨🧚 Rarely in life are expectations surpassed, yet what awaited me that morning was far beyond anything I could have imagined. The hours I spent wandering through the garden left an impression I know will last a lifetime.
120 Varieties of Moss
“As it approaches the 1,300th anniversary of its founding, Saihoji Temple strives to be a place where you can return to your true self in quiet and commence the journey that will bring you to the next stage of your life — empowering you to be more creative, to be inspired and to return to your life feeling completely re-tuned and ready for a fresh start in your life.”
Japan as a whole has a way of prompting reflection, with its mixture of simplicity and layered complexity that can make even the most ordinary moment feel meaningful. In the moss garden, every last leaf is tended to with such gentleness and intention, which is an energy that is transferred to those lucky enough to experience it. It is an incredible example of a space which allows its visitor to truly feel at peace while inspiring contemplation not only of the spectacular care that is given to the grounds but also on a more personal level. It left me with a clarity and calm that I’m grateful to share on Funga—a strong reminder of the power nature has to center and renew us.
A Bamboo Forest in the Temple Garden