WKD - Moss (koke)

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waiting for you - the moss on the walls grows steadily ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo 山寺の　苔に隠れし　祈り哉 mountain temple - a prayer overgrown with moss ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo at your feet the moss grows thickly - a lion's watch

While I waited for about two hours, my husband climbed the steep slopes up to the "Hall thrown into the cliffs", Nage-ire Doo.

Temple Sanbutsu-Ji, Mitoku San, 2006



More MOSS haiku and stone Buddhas from my collection


moss on stone
the changing times
grow slowly


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Summer Kigo with MOSS (koke　苔)

moss growing lush, koke shigeru 苔茂る　こけしげる
green moss, aogoke　青苔
moss is green koke aoshi 苔青し




moss hanging from the trees, saru ogase 松蘿
蘿、女蘿、　さるおがせ
a phenomenon seen in the humid forests of Japan
... www2.dwc.doshisha.ac.jp/saruogase/ PHOTOS


fresh water from moss, koke shimizu
苔清水（こけしみず）



rose moss, matsuba botan 松葉牡丹
Pine (matsu)



. Spikemoss (iwahiba 岩檜葉, iwamatsu) .
Sellaginella tamariscina


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brushing moss off the gravestones, sootai 掃苔 sōtai
kigo for autumn

Graves and Haiku

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moss in winter 冬の苔（ふゆのこけ）fuyu no koke
moss in the cold kansen 寒蘚 (かんせん)
kigo for all winter


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Moss pink (shibazakura) Phlox subulata
kigo for late spring


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As Nakamura Sakuo has rightly pointed out, moss is fundamental to Japanese culture. The humidity and proper temperature in most parts of Japan are just right for the grow of it.

There are many famous "Moss Gardens" in Japan, especially in the old temples.



Kyoto Saiho-ji Moss Garden
Saihoji Temples is popularly called "Koke-dera 苔寺" or Moss Temple.
True to its popular name,its garden is thickly covered with moss of many varieties. Though the garden is beautiful with its carpet of velvety moss, this fact has nothing to do with the original design concept of this garden.

Another point which we must bear in mind regarding this garden is that it was laid in the closing years of the Heian period through the early days of the Kamakura Period (in the latter half of the 12th Century).It was not laid out, as popularly believed, by the most Reveredend Zen Buddhist Priest Soseki Muso in the Nanbokucho Period (1333-1392).

This garden,which is of an ancient style dating far back beyond the days of Rev.Muso, doubtlessly is one of the most celebrated gardens representative of Japan.The garden in itself is an eloquent example of the outstanding quality of esthetic culture which flourished from the Period (from the 8th to 12th Century).
The fact that this garden was designed in the latter half of the 12th Century can be verified by the style and technique employed in its creation. this can also be proved with literary evidence.
Photos and more text are here:
Temple Saiho-Ji Kyoto


Temple Myohoji (Myoohoo-Ji) in Kamakura

. . . . . The Moss-grown Steps
The Temple is often termed "the moss temple" with its moss-covered stone steps (roughly 50) leading up to the Hokkedo hall from the Deva gate. In order to preserve this natural beauty, visitors are not allowed to walk on the steps. Instead, there are a spare flight parallel to it from which they can observe the moss and walk up to the Hokkedo hall. From late April through May, white flowers of Shaga (fringed iris or Iris japonica) are in full bloom on both sides of the steps. In June, the moss is lively and most beautiful.
Temple Myoho-Ji Kamakura

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Some haiku by Issa
Tr. David Lanoue

山苔も花咲世話のありにけり
yama koke mo hana saku sewa no ari ni keri

the mountain moss
lends a hand
to the blooming


苔の花小疵に咲や石地蔵
koke no hana ko kizu ni saku ya ishi jizô

moss blossoms bloom
in a little crack...
stone Jizo


苔清水さあ鳩の来よ雀来よ
koke shimizu saa hato no ki yo suzume ki yo

pure water over moss--
come, pigeons!
come, sparrows!


More MOSS haiku by ISSA !

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kokedama　苔玉 moss ball



It is said that kokedama (moss ball)
had its origins way back from the Edo period when some bonsai where exposed without a container. In this case the root mass was so developed and compact that held together the mass of substrate used for the cultivation of the plant.
Today kokedamas are different. Special mix of soil containing akadama clay is used to give the shape and holding capacity of the plant,which are usually small grasses, flowering plants, orchids, pine seedlings, etc.
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Live moss is attached to the outer space of the"container"with biodegradable string,which deteriorates with time, leaving the moss layer attached to the substrate mix. A fun, easy and enjoyable way to keep plants in limited spaces.
There are endless variations of bases used ,including hanging kokedama with a string of twine.
I love these small jewels.
They can capture the essence of simplicity and beauty in Japanese designs.

Shared by Robert P. Armas
Joys of Japan


kokedama Daruma 苔玉だるま moss ball Daruma








- reference source : dalumakougei.com.. -


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long rain -
colorful moss grows
into a Kappa

Gabi Greve, 2015


. - koke 苔 moss and Kappa - .
Kappapedia - 河童　- the Water Goblin


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