Gio-ji, the hidden moss convent north of Arashiyama (Kyoto)

North of the Arashiyama bamboo grove, in the Sagano area (Ukyo-ku ward), you climb a small uphill lane to a wooden gate. Beyond it lies Gio-ji: a minuscule convent, little more than a thatched-roof hut set in a garden. The distance from Arashiyama's main attractions - about twenty minutes on foot - is enough to keep most of the tour groups away, and indeed you almost always find yourself here with just a handful of others.

The moss garden

The heart of the place is the moss garden. A path skirts a small stream with stone lanterns and a bamboo water spout; overhead, the maples form a canopy that filters the light. The moss comes in several varieties, some of them displayed in pots along the way. It changes colour with the seasons: green in spring and summer, red and orange in autumn. It is a garden that shines at its best in the damp - after rain or in the mist the moss lights up and the colours grow deeper. That is why grey days, which discourage visitors elsewhere, are the best ones here.

The story of Gio

The story of Gio-ji is a sad one and worth knowing before you go in. It comes from the Heike monogatari (The Tale of the Heike). Gio was a shirabyoshi, a court dancer, the favourite of the powerful lord Taira no Kiyomori. When Kiyomori cast her aside for a younger dancer, Hotoke Gozen, Gio chose to withdraw into monastic life together with her sister Ginyo and her mother Toji. Later Hotoke Gozen too, tormented by guilt, left Kiyomori and joined the three women. The four of them lived out the rest of their lives here as nuns.

The only building to visit is the thatched-roof hut, with two tatami rooms. In the first stand the wooden statues of the four women bound to the temple, with the object of worship Dainichi Nyorai at the centre; a statue of Kiyomori himself is placed off to one side, out of view. The second room has a large circular latticed window that takes up almost the entire wall. It is small in terms of scale, but consistent with the tone of the place: nothing monumental, everything intimate.

How to get there

Getting there: from JR Saga-Arashiyama station (Sagano line) or from the Arashiyama station on the Randen/Keifuku line it is about a twenty-minute walk, crossing Sagano and climbing towards the hamlet of Okusaga. The walk itself is pleasant, among low houses and minor temples. It is worth combining the visit with other nearby stops in the same hilly area, to make the most of the stroll.

Practical information

Practical information: admission is 300 yen (100 for elementary-school children). Opening hours are roughly 9:00-17:00, with last entry around 16:30; closed on 1 January. Since it is an outdoor garden, comfortable shoes and, if possible, a visit in the early morning or late afternoon will help you enjoy it at your own pace. If you happen to be in Kyoto on a rainy day and are thinking of giving up, Gio-ji is exactly the place to go anyway.

Related guides: Offbeat Japan: destinations and itineraries off the tourist trail.

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