What other travelers are saying about Gio-ji Temple
Embrace the beauty and the sound of the bamboo trees like whistling around. I won’t lie, you may find like “what the heck” is this less than 10 minute walk circling around the garden??? The truth is, when you sit and listen around the nature of the whistling bamboos and trees, you will find peace and calm. I completely pull back my words! It’s worth the visit only you wanna know what experienced peace-quiet-calm-meditate and you can find this is the right place to be!!! If you are the kind need to walk like and enjoy a bit and crowded with people and some vending machine or street food then this is not your place… enjoy 😉
One of the most delightful places in Kyoto. The expanse of moss is beautiful. There is a suikinkutsu 水琴窟, device in the garden that looks like a hand-washing spot. Water bubbles out and overflows back inside the ceramic basin, producing a musical tinkling sound that is meant to enhance the garden experience. There is a place to sit and listen to the gentle gurgling sound.
A long and sparse procession of walkers stretched for kilometres along the well to do road leading to Gioji. It was a late September morning, and nestled beneath a towering bamboo forest, and near ready to turn maples, the brilliant green of Gioji’s moss garden shimmered in the sunlight; this garden does not disappoint. My husband and I leisurely strolled through the ancient site which appearoin the Tale of Heiki from the Heian Era 1200 years earlier. At that time it was a convent and the story goes that Gio a beautiful dancer came here with her mother and sister to become nuns when Kitomori, a Taira clan chieftain left her for another woman. Surprisingly, the second woman also came later to become a nun and so it became a tale of forgiveness. Inside the thatched hut a statue of each of them is on display and their graves are in the nearby garden.
The nearest station is Arashiya ma, the nearest toilet is at Seiryoji Temple and the entry fee is 300 yen.
Giou-ji vibes are unmatched. Just pure green moss and silence. It’s a small loop, but it’s enough to clear your head and find some inner peace before the long trek to Tokyo. A must-visit if you're in the Sagano area.
My favorite shrine in Kyoto. It is not about the building or the size which is very small. The garden is so beautiful with its green moss and ferns. A place to calm down and enjoy nature.
