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Saihō Temple

Saihō-ji (西芳寺) is a Buddhist temple located in Matsuo, Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It belongs to the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen, and honzon is a statue of Amida Nyorai. The temple, which is famed for its moss garden, is commonly referred to as "Koke-dera" (苔寺), meaning "moss temple", while the formal name is "Kōinzan Saihō-ji" (洪隠山西芳寺).

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Entry 3000 JPY
Built 1339
Heritage listed

history

Website: intosaihoji.com (opens in a new tab)

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Updated 27 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Kokedera
苔寺; officially 西芳寺, Saihō-ji
Kokedera, also known as Saiho-ji, is one of Kyoto's World Heritage Sites famous for is beautiful moss garden. In the past, visitors could come and go freely, like most temples however, due to tourists stepping on and killing the moss, the temple had to limit the number of visitors and now requires a reservation in order to visit. The only accepted method is by mail. You need to send a letter giving them your name, the number of people in your party, and the date(s) you prefer to visit along with a self-addressed stamped envelope for them to send their response back to you. Here is the temple's address: Saiho-ji Temple 56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8286, Japan If accepted, you will pay on arrival. While the price is quite steep, keep in mind that along with a tour of the garden, you will also listen to a monk recite sutras and even get to copy the sutras yourself. For those lucky enough to be accepted for a visit, it is often one of their best memories.
The temple will tell you when your reservation is scheduled for in their response letter if you have been accepted · Admission is ¥3000 (the most expensive temple in Kyoto)
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大仏次郎文学碑
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千少庵居士遺蹟
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岩倉具視公舊蹟