Murin-an Garden

Murin-an is a compact villa garden in Kyoto’s Nanzenji area, created for statesman Yamagata Aritomo in the late 19th century. Its streams, ponds and waterfalls draw water from Lake Biwa, while the design frames the Higashiyama mountains as borrowed scenery. Walk the garden paths, look for the moss garden’s varied plants, then pause in the tatami-floored room for matcha and traditional sweets. Landscape photography is permitted; portrait photography requires an additional fee. The garden is best suited to a quiet, unhurried stop rather than a long walk.

A villa garden shaped by Yamagata Aritomo

Murin-an was built as a villa for statesman Yamagata Aritomo in the late 19th century. The garden was designed by Jihei Ogawa and represents the modern style of Japanese garden developed in the Meiji era. Its relatively compact grounds bring together planted areas, water and open views.

The villa’s western-style building adds another layer to the site. The building was used for political discussions before the Russo-Japanese War, including a meeting in 1903. The garden and villa therefore offer different ways to understand the property: one through its landscape design, the other through its place in political history.

Borrowed scenery and water from Lake Biwa

The garden uses shakkei, or borrowed scenery, to bring the Higashiyama mountains into its composition. As you move along the paths, the surrounding landscape forms a backdrop to the garden rather than stopping at its edges.

Streams, ponds and waterfalls are fed by water from Lake Biwa. The combination of flowing water and carefully arranged greenery gives the garden changing views along its paths. Look closely at the moss garden, which contains a range of plant varieties and shifts in character with the seasons. An open lawn in front of the villa brings a Western element into the garden’s design.