Katsura Rikyu was once a villa belonging
to the royal family.
The spacious garden
and the buildings scattered throughout it
blend perfectly to form a beautiful scene.
The German architect Bruno Taut expressed
great admiration for Katsura Rikyu. In
earlier days, visitors viewed the scenery
of the spacious pond, with its islands of
various sizes, from a boat. This is why
the bridges spanning the pond are arched
to enable the passing of boats. These
days, visitors can enjoy the garden while
walking around the pond. The perimeter of
the pond, the seven buildings standing on
islands in the pond, and an artificial
hill known as a tsukiyama form a superb
composition. Care has been given to make
even the smallest of items such as the
paving stones and stone lanterns both
practical and beautiful. Katsura Rikyu
offers many locations of interest, and
visitors will discover new things each
time they visit. Prior permission is
required to visit the garden, obtainable
by filing an application with the Kyoto
office of the Imperial Household Agency.
Location : Kyoto City, Kyoto
Prefecture
