Fallen Leaves on the Carpet Moss

The haigoke moss (hypnum plumiforme Wilson or “carpet moss”) that grows in Murin-an like a green carpet is very soft and thus there are areas of it where the dead leaves that get stuck in its gaps cannot be removed with a whisk broom. In these places, we remove each leaf by hand, one at a time. In the area around the Shinto shrine-style fence (tamagaki) where the grass lawn changes into moss, there are parts where haigoke moss grows straight upward, so we check the moss’s growth condition as we work.