In Japan, Tsuyu (梅雨, rainy season) lasts from early June to mid-July for most of the
country (on the main island of Honshū and the islands of Kyūshū and
Shikoku), approximately June 7th to July 20th for the main Kansai and
Kantō regions.[5]
It comes a month earlier to Okinawa in the south (early May through
mid-June), but Hokkaidō in the north is largely unaffected.
Vegetation, especially moss, is also rather lush at this time, and hence sights known for their moss, such as Saihō-ji (the moss temple) are also popular at this time of year.
Saihō-ji (西芳寺) is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple located in Matsuo, Nishikyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan.
The famous moss garden of Saihō-ji, commonly referred to as "Koke-dera" (苔寺), meaning "moss temple", is situated in the eastern temple
grounds. Located in a grove, the garden is arranged as a circular
promenade centered around Golden Pond (黄金池 ōgonchi). The pond is shaped like the Chinese character for "heart" or "mind" (心 kokoro) and contains three small islands: Asahi Island (朝日島), Yūhi Island (夕日島), and Kiri Island (霧島).
The area around the pond is said to be covered with more than 120
varieties of moss, believed to have started growing after the flooding
of the temple grounds in the Edo Period.
In 1994, Saihō-ji was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto".[1][2]
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