Kyoto

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 (Photo: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)

Sep 4, 2014 - 1 min read

Temple of Sala Tree - Torinin Kyoto

Bewitched by the beauty of the Deciduous Camellia

Community writer

In late June this year, I visited the 'Sala Flower Festival' held at Torin-in Temple, 'The Temple of Sala Trees', in Kyoto.

Sala trees in Japan are not the same trees whose flowers bloomed in unison when Gautama Buddha passed away. The Japanese summer camellia (Hime Shala: Stewartia monadelpha) seems to have replaced them at some point in the past. Sala flowers, which were cited in 'The Tale of Heike' (13th century) are also Japanese summer camellias. Whichever the case, I was impressed anew by the fleeting, yet resilient beauty of sala flowers and enjoyed the serenity they gave me.

This temple is usually closed to the public, but sometimes special public viewings such as 'Spring Festival', 'Lantern Festival', and the 'Sala Flower Festival' to which I attended, are held for the pleasure of the public.

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By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

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 (Photo: 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 (Photo: 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 (Photo: 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) (Photo: 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." (Photo: 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! (Photo: MASAYOSHI HIROSE)

Information

Myoshinji Temple

64 Hanazonomyoshinjicho, Ukyo, Kyoto (Map) (Directions)

myoshinji.or.jp