Besides rocks and sand, some of the famous Japanese rock gardens (karesansui) are also using areas covered by moss, to symbolize forests or green fields. But in some temples you can also find a different kind of garden, made entirely with moss. They are similar to the rock gardens, with a relatively small size, designed especially for meditation.

Here is the moss garden of the Ryoan-ji Temple from Kyoto, a combination of moss, bare roots and patches of earth, all developed naturally, without any human intervention. I love to look at the fragile moss carpet, imagining distant miniature forests…

Moss Garden, Ryoan-ji Temple, Kyoto

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Beautiful lanterns at Yashamon, Nikko