Saiho-ji Reservation (Moss Temple) and West Kyoto Historical 1-Day Tour
Overview
Visit Saihoji temple, known as the moss temple in Kyoto registered in the UNESCO World Heritage site. An experienced tour guide will show you around the garden of Saihoji temple and other historical sites in Kyoto. The tour is scheduled as below: 9:30 — Meet at Hankyu Kami-Katsura station 10:00 — Saihoji temple 12:00 — Lunch in Arashiyama 13:00 — Togetsukyo bridge, Tenryuji temple 14:30 — Bamboo forest, Okochi sanso villa 16:30 — End of the tour As this is your private tour, the rest of the day other than Saihoji temple can be customized, and please feel free to request us if you would like to visit any specific place in Kyoto.
Highlights
- Walking tour to Saihō-ji, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple!
- Have a great river and mountain view from Togetsukyo bridge
- Explore Tenryuji temple, another beautiful garden made by Muso Soseki.
- Walk through bamboo grove and visit Okochi sanso villa, which owned by a movie star in 20th century.
Key Information
Description
Saiho-ji Temple is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple located in Nishikyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple, famed as the Kyoto moss garden, is commonly referred to as "Koke-dera," meaning "moss temple." The formal name is "Kōinzan Saihō-ji." Primarily constructed to honor Amitabha, it was first founded by Gyōki and was later restored by Musō Soseki. In 1994, Saihō-ji was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto." Until 1977, Saihō-ji was open to admission to the general public on a walk-up basis, as with other temples. At present, while it is open to the public, number requirements limit the number of visitors. It is said that these regulations were put in place to protect the delicate moss from the hordes of tourists that plagued the temple before 1977. Although there are no saiho-ji tickets sold online, this tour includes a reservation service for saiho-ji, so you can be sure of visiting this incredible location.