A tree with white bark at Saiho-ji (Takedera, moss temple), Kyoto, Japan

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Saiho-ji is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, known for its thick mosses and beautiful gardens. It is also called Koke Dera, the moss temple. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to 729-749. Thick moss carpets the forest floor and there are an estimated 120 species of mosses at the temple and its gardens have been an important influence on Japanese garden design. The gardens at the Koinzan Saihoji date back to 1339, when the priest Muso Soseki created white sand Zen gardens that gradually became overgrown with mosses when the temple lacked the funds for their upkeep. Kokedera is one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Tokyo area and can only be visited by reservation. The temple is located on Mount Koisan on the western outskirts of Kyoto Japan.

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Size: 5000px × 3333px
Location: Kokedera, moss temple, Koinzan Saihoji, Kyoto, Japan
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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