Buddhist temple in the village of Ohara surrounded by moss and momiji; a quiet excursion on the outskirts of Kyoto; admission ~700 ¥.
Sanzen-in is the spiritual treasure of the small village of Ohara, nestled in a mountain valley an hour north of Kyoto. The Buddhist temple, founded in the 8th century, houses one of the most venerated collections of Amida statues in Japan, preserved in the dark wooden Ojo-Gokuraku-in pavilion. But what makes Sanzen-in unique is its moss garden: an emerald-green carpet that covers the ground among centuries-old cedars, dotted with small stone statues that peek out from the vegetation. It is a place of extraordinary stillness. Admission costs 700 ¥ for adults. The temple opens from 8:30 to 17:00 (March to December) and from 9:00 to 16:30 in winter. To get there, take the Kyoto Bus line 17 from Kyoto station to the Ohara stop (about 60 minutes). From the stop, walk 10 minutes uphill among tsukemono and medicinal-plant shops. It is especially beautiful in June (hydrangeas), in the November momiji and after a winter snowfall.
