What’s the best way to reach it with JR trains? I can make heads nor tails out of http://www.giouji.or.jp/acc/index.html

Thanks!
Wout.
The nearest JR station is Saga-arashiyama, the sixth station north-west of Kyoto on the Sagano-sen. Gioji is about a mile’s walk from there. (Each picture on my post has a map link, so you can see where Gioji is on a real map). It’d be a pleasant walk if you don’t get lost, and if you have the time, it’d be pleasant even if you did. I would expect that taxi drivers would know where it is, although it wouldn’t hurt to bring a copy of the map with you. Enjoy! —Jeffrey

Question: which RAW suite do you use mostly?

Shimada’s official Japanese site link is interesting also.

Aunt Jeannette

Grandma Friedl’s comments are right on the ball, and make me feel that _I_ should have a go at a small moss garden here in wet Wales. And I really must buy myself the Schenk moss gardening book that she mentioned.

Thanks for a lovely post.

Peter

I know,because on a more minute scale, many years ago I was working on the mossy creek banks in the woods down past the dam. It started as a little 3 x 3 foot area of moss I discovered ( just where you helped me build that little waterfall). I was charmed by the effect, and kept the leaves off and the weeds out, enlarging the area gradually until eventually the whole long walk and creekbank became covered in the moss. It was such a perfect spot for birdwatching.( I’ve neglected it of late since I now do most birdwatching on the veranda or in the arbor. )

But in Japan, those beautiful moss gardens are kept free of leaves and debris by somebody, probably in off-hours.

There was a lady on her hands an knees with a small hand-made brush working diligently with no discernible effect, so that’s probably what you’re talking about. She was in one of the sections I didn’t get to this time.

As delicate as moss appears, much of it can be walked on occasionally with little effect. And it can be encouraged to grow on things like rocks and cement by mixing some moss in a blender with a little yogurt or mayonnaise and painting it on the damp object. Maybe you could remake your parking lot into a little Japanese garden of your own. Start out with planting a few trees (Moss loves shade), take some classes in Wattle and Daub, learn to make hypertufa lanterns, (or I can show you when you come this summer ) form a little trickling recirculating rockstrewn stream with a comfortable bench beside it, and in a very few years you and the neighborhood birds could have your own private little retreat. And you might find it addicting to putter in it. (Not to mention the pleasure of photographing it every step of the way)

I don’t really have much of a green thumb… planting a moss garden myself as about as much appeal as, er, watching moss grow. —Jeffy

more pics from flickr.com
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%E7%A5%87%E7%8E%8B%E5%AF%BA&w=all&s=int