西芳寺（苔寺）Saihouji (Moss Temple)

念願かなって、西芳寺（苔寺）に行ってきました！ 苔寺の名に違わぬ、苔の緑の美しい場所でした。731年に行基菩薩が開山、その後臨済宗のお寺に。スティーブ・ジョブズも何度も訪れていたとか。ここは、10時または10時半のみの事前予約制で、写経し、それから庭をぐるりと見て、12時には完全閉門。それからお坊さんたちの修行やお勤めが始まるのだろう。仏教徒は、宗教施設とは、こうあるべきだよね、と思わせられる。観光地化されて、ひっきりなしに観光客が訪れる多くの寺社仏閣とは対照的です。来訪者は多いですが、境内は広く、皆静かに鑑賞しているので、静かさと落ち着きを感じられる場所でした。ちょうど敷き紅葉になっているのも良かった。素晴らしいタイミングでした。

At last, I had a long-awaited visit to Saiho-ji temple (moss temple).  The temple was founded by Gyoki in 731 and later became a temple of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism.  I heard that Steve Jobs visited there many times in his late years.  To visit this place, you must reserve in advance to enter only at 10:00 or 10:30 a.m.  You will first do sutra copying, then walk around moss the garden, and the gate closes to visitors completely at 12:00 p.m.  Then the monks would begin their training and the service.  It makes me realize what Buddhists and religious facilities in general should be like.  This is in contrast to many temples and shrines that have been turned into tourist attractions and are visited incessantly by tourists.  Although there were many visitors to this temple, the garden is spacious and everyone is quietly appreciating the beauty of the place, so it was a place where you could feel quiet and calm.  It was also nice that the red leaves made a carpet on the bed of brightly green moss.  Perfect timing!