Hogon-in, Murin-an & Suzaku-no-Mori gardens in Kyoto
Whether you prefer exquisite traditional gardens like Hogon-in, that incorporate uniquely Japanese elements…
or gardens like Murin-an that create an oasis of perfected wilderness in the middle of the city…
or a decidedly modern riff on Japanese landscape design like Suzaku-no-Mori…
these three spots offer deluxe and thought-provoking Kyoto garden immersions far from the madding crowds.
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Hogon-in “Lion’s Roar” Garden
The invigorating, yet serene, stroll garden at Hogon-in Temple
Over the stream and through the woods…
the galloping pathways of the Hogon-in “Lion’s Roar” Garden present new and lovely surprises around every bend. This very special garden is only open for select times during the spring and fall, but it’s well worth a visit, because it was designed for this Rinzai (Zen) temple by the famous tea master Sakugen Shuryo.
From mossy boulders and inviting stepping stones…
to exuberant brushwood fences…
to the very Buddhist “Sea of Suffering” represented by an ocean of smooth stones…
this garden even offers the solace of the ancients, perpetually strolling beneath the trees.
Hogon-in “Lion’s Roar” Garden
Open: Only in the spring and during the fall foliage season (check the website for opening dates before going)
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
Admission: ¥700
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Murin-an
The “natural” landscape garden at the Aritomo Yamagata residence
This garden was built in 1896, when the first heady flush of the Meiji Era welcomed in new ideas from the West, including gardens created to mimic “natural” landscape views. It employs some of the same visual deceptions as the garden at the Adachi Museum to create a sense of expansive wilderness, even though this small garden is right in the middle of one of the most bustling parts of Kyoto.
But instead of the manicured shrubs and raked sand perfection of the Adachi, Murin-an is planted with gracefully harmonious grasses, shrubs and trees amid artfully-placed rocks, to present a carefully cultivated sense of wildness. The pond is fed by a waterfall and stream, both especially designed to deliver the musical babble of running water.
Various points of historical interest dot the site…
and lingering to look more closely is rewarded by miniature landscapes of lush mosses.
The residence offers a cafe experience where you can sip beer or drink tea looking out through ripply handmade Taisho-era glass…
and enjoy the details of this beautifully preserved Meiji Era site.
Murin-an Garden and Residence
Open: Every day
Hours:
Apr – Sep: 9:00 – 18:00; Evening light-up hours: 18:00 – 22:00
Oct – Mar: 9:00 – 17:00; Evening light-up hours: 17:00 – 22:00
Admission: Varies by season (¥600 for off-peak times)
Note: Only 15 visitors at a time are allowed in the garden, so it requires a timed entry reservation that can be made by phone (in Japanese at 075-771-3909), in-person at the ticket window, or through the garden’s website.
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Suzaku-no-Mori Garden
A distinctly modern Japanese garden landscape
This garden is a series of landscape art installations and one of the most interesting examples of Japanese gardening I’ve ever seen. From rolling manicured hills carved with pathways that evoke a natural labyrinth…
to a mirror-like terraced pond set with precisely spaced pots of seasonal herbs…
to installations of natural stone…
the Suzaku-no-Mori garden ties them together with gently meandering trails that cross streams tumbling down small waterfalls…
or grand ones…
leading finally to a genuinely wild area criss-crossed with walkways soaring through the trees…
that showcase a masterful reclamation of industrially poisoned land. The boardwalks now allow visitors to appreciate the native flora, fauna, and insects that have returned to heal this formerly toxic site.
Suzaku-no-Mori
Open: Every day except Monday
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
Admission: Free
Note: This garden is in Umekoji Park—the entrance is beyond this gate and through the chalet on the other side
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Here’s where these three gardens in Kyoto are:
To figure out how to get to the gardens, use the Japan Navigation phone app, plugging in your location, travel date and preferred arrival/departure time. Here’s where to get the app and how to use it.
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The last thing Birdie needs is to turn her life upside down solve a murder that was committed before she was born…
Birdie is a true daughter of the pleasure quarter, the chosen apprentice to Yoshiwara’s number one queen of the night—she’d rather do anything than derail her future life of wearing opulent robes and entertaining lords of the land. But when her search for the mother she never knew takes a dangerous turn, she finds herself with an impossible choice: betray her own flesh and blood, or live the rest of her life being hunted by a powerful man who won’t stop until they’re both dead.
“…a complete immersion in a world of beauty, drama, secrets, and betrayals.”
—Kim Hays, author of the Polizei Bern series
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly Japanagram newsletter, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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