Giōji Temple

The main hall of Gio-ji temple sits wrapped in a thick, vibrant carpet of moss that swallows the sound of footsteps. It began as a small nunnery where Gio, a celebrated dancer from the Heian period, retired after falling out of favor with a powerful official. When she left the imperial court to become a nun, she took her mother and sister with her. Their simple straw-thatched hut remains a sanctuary, shadowed by tall maples that change from deep green to fiery red.