The Sacred Garden, Kyoto

The sacred garden, named Rakusuien, that surround the elegant shrine buildings is composed of five different gardens. Starting from the manmade 'Spring Hill' of the Jonan Rikyu, there is the Heian Garden, where the poetry event called Kyokusi-no-utage takes place; the Muromachi Garden, with its tasteful pon-edge rock arrangement; the Momoyama Garden, featuring beautiful trimmed bushes; and then the dry landscape Jonan Rikyu Garden. One can flavor the characteristrics and atmosphere of these gardens that represent the various historical periods. In addition, more than one hundred varieties of plants that give literary color to the Tale of Genji have been planted and cultivated here and there, and so the entire shirine garden is known as 'The flower garden of the Tale of Genji'. Seeing the plants glowing in the sunlight and swaying in the breeze, one can sense the grace of the Heian era, and the refined spirit of the nature-loving people of Japan.

Informations collected during the visit.