There are dozens of sala trees in the front garden of the main temple building. Experience their beauty in full bloom during the 'Sala Flower Festival' each year from Jun 15 to 30. No reservations are needed (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
Myoshinji Temple, the head temple of Rinzai School of Zen Buddhism, is a gigantic complex of 48 small temples in Kyoto. This 'Temple of Sala Tree', Torin-in, is one of the 48 under the umbrella of Myoshinji Temple. When I visited, many tourists were there to enjoy beautiful flowers (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
Sala flower (Deciduous camellia) only lasts for a day. Flowers that have bloomed will drop off onto the ground within a day. There are more flowers on the ground than on the trees (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
One of the pleasures of visiting temples: Since this is 'The Temple of Sala Tree', sweet cakes are made in the shape of a sala flower (1,600 yen, including entry fee to the temple) (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
Front garden of the main temple building is called, 'Garden of Sala Tree'. The Sala flower, for its fleeting life, is cited in a famous piece of old Japanese literature, 'The Tale of Heike' as follows: "The sound of the Gion Shoja bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sala flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline." (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
Here we call this flower, 'sala flower' or 'deciduous camellia', but in fact sala trees don't grow in Japan's climate. The truth is they plant 'Japanese summer camellia, or Hime-Shala (Stewartia monadelpha)' as a substitution of sala flower (deciduous camellia) and call them as such. Nobody knows when and who started to call them 'sala flower' (deciduous camellia) here! (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
'Hiryu-no-yadorigi' (Soaring Dragon Mistletoe). In 1966, birds carried seeds of Japanese black pine onto this 300-year-old Japanese umbrella pine tree, and the black pine has grown with it (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
I strolled in the 'Garden of Senryo' through Hojo, then arrived at the Shoin building. You can enjoy Shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetable cuisine) here! (5,950 yen including temple entrance fee and green tea with sweet cake) (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
In front of the Shoin building, where Buddhist vegetable cuisine is served, there is a Karesansui Garden (Japanese Rock Garden), a 'Garden of Horai', to please your eyes (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
I listened to a monk's sermons while enjoying the serene gardens and the fleeting beauty of sala flowers. Despite their short lives, they live their lives fully by blooming so beautifully in pure white, and even after they have dropped off the ground, their beauty never changes. Their resilient elegance amazes me (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
Garden of Senryo. It is a miniature garden located between the main temple building and Shoin (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)
This stopped me in my tracks when I was coming out of Shoin! The simple, yet crisp beauty of just a water basin and gravel in a narrow space intrigued me. (저작권: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)