This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by 
: Je trouve finalement le Gio-ji, ce petit jardin de mousses de Arashiyama
As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.
Remember that the person that speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (
), but , a French guy.
One can have the impression that Japanese gardens are all alike. It is true that they often have many points in common but each has its own personality. And there are types of gardens that I absolutely wanted to see: the moss gardens. There is a small one in Arashiyama.
I find the place quite easily. At least that's what I thought. I go to the counter, I must be the only visitor. A young Japanese girl seems surprised to see me here. Yet it is a garden that is not so unknown. I take my ticket and try to decipher what is marked on it, entirely in Japanese.
I ask anyway: "Here is the Gio-ji? "
She answers me then "No, the Gio-ji is right next door! "
Ah shoot, I was wrong again. All the signs in the street were written in Japanese, with kanji, it's not easy to navigate. She looks sorry and offers me to refund the 400 yen of the entrance.
No, I came in here, I visit.
Indeed, I am the only one. It is a small quiet garden, with its small pond and moss. In the background, the temple with its many treasures (and prohibited photos). The monk makes a private visit explaining to me the origin of the different pieces of this small museum. Finally I am happy to be here and to have this visit only for me!
I come out and head to the right place. Ah yes, at the entrance it is well written "Gio-ji" in our alphabet, but it was necessary to arrive there to see it!
I am then immersed in lush greenery at the foot of the mountain. I understand then why the mosses grow so well here. The air is very humid. For once it's sunny but everything is slightly moist.
It's not very big, and I quickly go around it. But the beauty of this garden is especially in the details. First of all this patchwork of mosses of different colors that form carpets. Several varieties of mosses have been arranged, with time they have connected to each other.
These are not smooth and uniform carpets. The different heights of moss evoke gently rolling plains.
We go around the garden via an alley lined with small bamboo fences, with here and there some stones, some ferns. The small size of the place invites to dwell on the details. Like this little pond with this maple leaf delicately placed on the edge. Is it here by chance? It would not surprise me that it was intentionally arranged here for the magic of the whole.
Some lanterns also mark the visit. They are an integral part of the garden, with these little ferns growing at their base.
Gio-ji is really a magical place. If in some Japanese gardens the look is lost in the distance, here he is captivated by small details. This garden speaks to your heart. I confess that it brought out things in me. This cocoon invites reflection.
And I do not think I was the only one to feel like that because there was a monastic silence. Nobody spoke, everyone walked noiselessly, as if not to disturb. The slight breeze in the trees echoed like a little music that accompanied us.
Sublime place, magic, I cannot really find the right words. And what I have to say is not more beautiful than the silence of this place.
01: Travel diary in Japan, by @japon
02: Tokyo, overcrowded city? Really? by @japon
03: Are the Japanese too disciplined? by @japon
04: Going to Japan without speaking Japanese? by @japon
05: Ueno, more than just a big park in Tokyo, by @japon
06: Asakusa, diving in the heart of Tokyo's historic district, by @japon
07: Ameyoko, Ueno's colorful market, by @japon
08: Tsukiji, the largest fish market in the world, by @japon
09: Climb the steps of Atago Jinja Shrine in Tokyo, by @japon
10: Hama Rikyu, an exceptional park in the heart of Tokyo, by @japon
11: Jimbocho, old books and tempura, by @japon
12: Shinjuku Gyoen Park and the best burger in the world!, by @japon
13: One night in Shibuya, by @japon
14: Takeshita dori : this little street dedicated to fashion (and good crepes), by @japon
15: They lie to you about Kyoto, by @japon
16: The temples and secret garden of Higashi in Kyoto, by @japon
17: Kinkaku-ji, the temple of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, by @japon
18: Ryoan-ji, the amazing stone garden in Kyoto, by @japon
19: The Ninna-ji Temple and its extraordinary gardens, by @japon
20: Kyoto Gyoen, the Imperial Palace Park, by @japon
21: Nishiki Market: A Must in Kyoto, by @japon
22: Ginkaku-ji, the temple of the silver pavilion in Kyoto, by @japon
23: Meditate on the path of philosophy, by @japon
24: Nanzen-ji, its impressive gate and two gardens, by @japon
25: Heian-jinju: the big shrine and its garden that I almost missed, by @japon
26: Eikan-do, the temple of the momiji maples in Kyoto, by @japon
27: Kodai-ji, a Kyoto temple dedicated to a woman's love for her husband, by @japon
28: Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, the streets of Higashiyama, by @japon
29: Kiyomizu-dera, the temple of pure water in Kyoto, by @japon
30: Tofuku-ji: the maple lookout point, by @japon
31: Makis, Yasaka-jinja Shrine and Maruyama Park, by @japon
32: Nijo Castle and its fabulous garden, by @japon
33:Departure for Osaka and its castle, and announcement of a typhoon, by @japon
34: Osaka, the garden Keitaku-en under a torrential rain, by @japon
35: Doguya-suji, the kitchen market in Osaka, by @japon
36: Dōtonbori, the bustling district of Osaka, by @japon
37: Back to Kyoto and Typhoons, meetings and reunions, by @japon
38: Sanjūsangen-dō, the temple of a thousand and one statues, by @japon
39: On the road to Fushimi Inari Taisha, by @japon
40: Daigo-ji, the large Buddhist complex built on a mountainside, by @japon
41: Departure for Nara, we look at the fallow deers and we mistake the garden, by @japon
42: Isui-en, the big Japanese garden of Nara, by @japon
43: Todai-ji, the temple with the huge Buddha statue in Nara, by @japon
44: Nara, from Nigatsu-dō to Kasuga, by @japon
45: Arashiyama, the district west of Kyoto and its bamboo plantation, by @japon
46: Tasting the serenity of Jojakko-ji Temple, by @japon
47: Tenryū-ji, one of the most beautiful temples of Arashiyama, by @japon