Patrick Vierthaler
Giō-ji
祇王寺
Giō-ji is a small Shingon branch Buddhist temple affiliated with nearby Daikaku-ji. Its roots date back to the twelfth century, when a disciple of Hōnen was said to have established the temple under the name of Ōjō-in 往生院. The temple was abolished in the early Meiji period, and only restored after 1895 on the initiative of monks from Daikaku-ji, when a tea house donated to the temple was made into the temple’s main hall.
Today, Giō-ji is mainly known for its lush moss garden. Surrounding the main hall is moss, moss, and even more moss, all covered in soft shade by several maple trees. Therefore, Giō-ji is best visited anytime from June to October, especially on lightly rainy days or immediately after the rain. Autumn is famous too, but the maples do not tend to turn into bright, vivid colors, instead being sort of brownish. With good timing, though, it is possible to see a carpet of autumn leaves against maple foliage left on the trees.
Admission: open year-round
Nearby places of interest: Takiguchi-dera, Nison-in, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji

The splendid moss at Giō-ji in rainy season.
Summer 夏





















Autumn 秋




















Winter 冬






