Temple

Saiho-ji

Matsuo, Kyoto

Address
56 Matsuo Jingatani-cho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 〒615-8286 京都市西京区松尾神ヶ谷町56

Source: intosaihoji.com, checked 11 Oct 2026.

A wooden boat on the pond of Saiho-ji's moss garden, with mossy banks, tall trees and red maple leaves
Photo: Michael Coghlan from Adelaide, Australia / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Saiho-ji is Kokedera, the moss temple, and Muso Soseki laid out the first form of its garden in the 1300s (the Ashikaga shoguns modelled the Golden and Silver Pavilions on it). The moss came later, after the river kept flooding the grounds. Since 1977 it's only been open to small groups who book ahead.

Nearest station Kokedera-Suzumushidera bus stop (Kyoto Bus 73)
Cost ¥¥
Time needed 1 hour
Best time Any time you can book

Insider tip

Every visit starts with copying a sutra in the main hall, then you have the garden, about an hour in all. Book online up to the day before, or by return postcard posted one to two months ahead. The offering is ¥4,000 or more, and you must be 13 or over. Kyoto Bus 73 from Kyoto Station takes about an hour to the Kokedera-Suzumushidera stop.

What the guides say about Saiho-ji

At Saiho-ji, the moss temple, every visit starts with copying a sutra in the main hall, then you've got the garden, about an hour in all. The offering's ¥4,000 or more, under-13s aren't allowed, and you can book online up to the day before. Kyoto Bus 73 from Kyoto Station takes about an hour.

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Nearby

Matsuo Taisha Shrine · 11 min walk Hata no Imiki Tori built the first hall of Matsuo Taisha at the foot of Mount Matsuo in 701, before Kyoto became the capital, and since the late... Horin-ji Temple · 25 min walk Horin-ji sits halfway up Arashiyama on the far side of the river, and the monk Gyoki founded it in 713. Fufu no Yu Onsen · 2.1 km away Fufu no Yu is a day spa a minute's walk from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. Iwatayama Monkey Park Park · 2.2 km away About 120 wild Japanese macaques live on Mount Iwata, just across the river from central Arashiyama. Togetsukyo Bridge Landmark · 2.3 km away The 155 m bridge over the Oi River, with wooded hills rising right behind it, is the picture most people carry of Arashiyama. Fukuda Art Museum Museum · 2.4 km away This museum by Togetsukyo shows Japanese painting, mostly from the Edo period to the modern era, in seasonal exhibitions.

Good to know

What is the address of Saiho-ji?
56 Matsuo Jingatani-cho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都市西京区松尾神ヶ谷町56).
How do I get to Saiho-ji?
The nearest station is Kokedera-Suzumushidera bus stop (Kyoto Bus 73). Saiho-ji is in Matsuo, Kyoto.
How much does Saiho-ji cost?
Saiho-ji is mid-range, marked ¥¥ on the site's price scale.
How long do you need at Saiho-ji?
Plan for 1 hour.
When is the best time to visit Saiho-ji?
Any time you can book.

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