Shugaku-in Imperial Villa / Rakuhoku修学院離宮

The magnificent and noble Shugaku-in Imperial Villa located in the ancient capital. Enjoy the peaceful tranquility of Kyoto in the Rakuhoku area.

Among the many historical monuments in Kyoto, Shugaku-in-rikyu Imperial Villa sits in the most spacious grounds (approximately 540,000 square meters) complete with arable fields. The harmony of peacefulness and nobleness achieved there cannot be found at any other historical site. Built by the government in the 17th century as a retirement retreat for Emperor Go-Mizuno-o, it is still one of the most glorious villas in Japan. It features magnificent and graceful gardens, borrowing scenery from its backdrop, Mt. Shugaku-in-yama.

Since Shugaku-in-rikyu Imperial Villa is not generally open to the public, visitors must apply for a visit in advance with the Imperial Household Agency. This agency administers the villa, keeping it well maintained and preserved. This is a must-see attraction and a visit is well-worth applying for.

Teahouses are dispersed throughout the Upper, Middle and Lower Gardens (Kami-no-ochaya, Naka-no-ochaya and Shimo-no-ochaya, respectively) and connected by a graveled path called "O-uma-michi" (bridle path). Along the path lined with pine trees are arable fields that are leased out to the public. The teahouses in the Lower and Middle gardens are rather plain and simple, and the Middle Garden contains a lantern called the "Christian Lantern," on the base of which is engraved the image of the Virgin Mary. On the other hand, the Upper Garden, situated on the highest ground, is a circuitous garden with a large pond and topiary trees. The pond is filled by water which flows from natural streams off of Mt. Hiei-zan. While the garden is quite elegantly adorned, the interior of the teahouse requires no special decorations to add to its wonderful ambiance.

There are a number of other tourist attractions scattered around Shugaku-in-rikyu Imperial Villa. Sekizan-zen'in Temple near the villa is a neat and tidy Zen temple. In fall, colored leaves along the approach way give the area an atmosphere synonymous with Kyoto. Manju-in Temple is famous for its garden as well as its simple but elegant thatched roof architectural style, known as 'shoin-zukuri.' Shisen-do Temple has a 'shoin' (study room) surrounded by luxuriant green bamboo and a dry landscape garden, or Zen garden, known as 'karensansui.' Souzu, also called "shishi-odoshi" (dear-scarer), is a traditional Japanese water fountain made with a bamboo pipe originally used to scare away deer. The weight of the water filling up the pipe causes it to tip over periodically and make a sharp sound, which is intended to scare away deer and other animals. The sound made by the souzu only seems to deepen the surrounding silence. The only public transportation to the area is the bus. While this may seem inconvenient, the chance to enjoy the peaceful silence of Kyoto is worth making the trip.

If you would like to apply for permission to visit to the villa, please visit the following Web site: