[2025 Kyoto Attraction] Travel Guide for Katsura Imperial Villa (Updated May)

"Kyoto Imperial Garden" was originally an important place for the royal family. Later, during the Meiji period, the royal family moved the capital to Edo. The former imperial garden of the Japanese emperor gradually became a national garden for the Japanese people. However, except for the gardens open to the public, visits to the Sento, Shugakuin Imperial Villa and Katsura Imperial Villa require advance online reservations, and there is no walk-in. The Kyoto Imperial Palace is open to the public all year round and is free to enter. Friends who are interested in visiting need to budget about 3 hours, and it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes, because before entering the Imperial Garden, you need to pass a long carriage road with small stones on the road, which is very tiring to walk on. After passing the carriage road, you will enter the main gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Seisho-mon Gate, and need to go through security checks, check your belongings and luggage, and then get a visitor pass. There is a rest area in the venue where everyone is resting. There is a self-service beverage machine where you can buy drinks. There is also a gift shop in the venue where you can buy limited souvenirs. After the rest, we started to visit the buildings of Kyoto Imperial Garden along the designated route: Goshaji, Minami-tei, Jomeimon, Kenreimai, Seiryoden, etc. Along the way, we also passed by Oike-niwa and other gardens. The beautiful scenery is definitely worth a visit! Transportation reference: From Kiyomizu-dera Temple to Gyoen, take bus No. 102 and get off at Karasuma Imadegawa Station. Imperial Palace opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (For details, please refer to the website of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan) Reservations for Sento, Shugakuin Imperial Villa and Katsura Imperial Villa: Japan Imperial Household Agency website #Halloween2023 #OverseasTravel #KyotoTravel

Profound, authentic, and beautiful in the extreme, Katsura Imperial Villa is one of Japan's most important cultural properties. A villa for the Imperial family, it is the former study of Prince Toshihito of Hachijo-no-miya. The spatial design embodies more than mere aesthetics; it is an elegant chapter co-written by architecture and garden. At first glance, it appears understated and simple, yet it is full of creativity and exquisite detail. Since the 17th century, it has been a leading influence on Japanese modernist architecture and garden design. Opening hours: 9:00-16:30

|Avoid the Crowds with These Unique Experiences~. [Introduction]: 👀 Kyoto, a city with a long history, is not only home to world-famous temples and shrines, but also many hidden gems. If you're tired of the crowded tourist attractions, this guide will show you another side of Kyoto—a quiet, leisurely, and culturally rich Kyoto 📷. ⛺[Avoid Popular Attractions]: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Kifune Shrine: Although these places are famous, they are crowded. Instead, choose some lesser-known temples and shrines to enjoy some peace and quiet. 🛬[Travel Guide]: Alternative Ways to Explore Arashiyama - Kameoka Train: If you love natural scenery, take the train from JR Kameoka Station and enjoy the scenery along the way. - Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple: The scenery here is as beautiful as Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, but with fewer people. It's a great place to experience the quiet beauty of Kyoto. - Nanzen-ji Temple: Don't be fooled by the closing time on Google Maps. The scenery here is worth exploring. - Toshogu Shrine: Highly recommended. The courtyard and architecture here are unique. - Sanjusangendo Temple: The Kyoto Museum across the street is also worth a visit. - Nara National Museum: If you're interested in historical artifacts, this museum has many precious exhibits. - Katsura Imperial Villa: Reservations are required. Although the garden design is excellent, Suzhou gardens are better in some ways. - Upper Kamo River: Avoid the hustle and bustle of the lower reaches. The scenery upstream is more pleasant. - Streets behind City Hall: There are many old shops here. If you like exploring local culture and history, this place is a treasure trove.

It's indescribable! I think being able to successfully make a reservation and visit Saiho-ji Temple and Katsura Imperial Villa is the most worthwhile thing of my trip to Kyoto. I really, really, really love looking at architecture, and even more so at garden landscapes. Sometimes I really wonder if there is still a memory in my body of being a leisurely prince who loved garden landscapes in some past life. Katsura Imperial Villa, built in 1615, has never suffered a fire and has basically maintained its original appearance. Even the paintings on the sliding doors inside the buildings are still faintly recognizable. The entire garden has four tea houses and a study. The garden was built for moon viewing, so at key points along the paths, you can always see many stone lanterns to illuminate the steps of pedestrians. The overall design consists of a strolling garden and pure Japanese-style buildings in the sukiya-zukuri style. Every step offers a new view, with ingenious designs everywhere. The cultural elegance and the natural seasons blend perfectly, dancing gracefully and enchanting the viewer. The entire visit was so perfect—the weather was perfect, the scenery was breathtaking, and the guide provided very detailed explanations. Traveling across the ocean to visit the royal garden of the Hachijo-no-miya family was truly worth it. Four hundred years later, an ordinary person like me can still catch a glimpse of royal elegance. As a modern person, I am really touched!

I first learned about the Katsura Imperial Villa from reading Nakamura Yoshifumi's writings about visiting Hannah Arendt's home in Denmark. Hannah often watched the moon rise from the sea on her terrace, which reminded him of the Moon-viewing Pavilion at Katsura. Not only Hannah, but modernist masters like Le Corbusier also visited the Katsura Imperial Villa in the early 20th century. For them, this ancient royal residence was their first stunning glimpse of Eastern architecture and aesthetics. To visit the Katsura Imperial Villa, one must apply on the official website and wait for an email reply before visiting. There are English tours available, but the visit lasts less than an hour, and at each spot, visitors are almost rushed through like ducks being herded. The guide mentioned that Japanese gardens emphasize the creation of scenery through sound. The rustling of stepping on pebbles, the sound of the wind through pine trees, the cries of cicadas in the heat of summer, and the sound of snow falling in winter are all 'sceneries' beyond what meets the eye in the garden. As for the architecture itself, the most striking impression is how the royal residence can be so elegantly simple and unadorned. Stone, wood, paper, bamboo, and grass are the main materials, resembling the hermitage of a recluse. The blue and white checkered patterns in the Shokin-tei Pavilion, the color coordination of the walls, and the paulownia wood grain patterns on the washi paper have a very modern aesthetic. The Katsura Imperial Villa has been almost undamaged since it was built 300 years ago. The most recent restoration was in the 1970s and 1980s, meticulously restored to its original state. Here, one can see the living scenes from the Tale of Genji that date back 300 years. Many of the photographs used in the Katsura Imperial Villa's guide were taken by photographer Ishihara Yasuhiro in the 1950s and 1960s. His photographs of the villa have been used in many architects' books. I particularly like the black and white series, which is like a quiet, structured poem.

Century-old streets and wonderful exploration of shops. This trip to Kyoto is my first independent travel in three years, and the week was full and rich. The itinerary includes Saifang Temple, Arashiyama, Kamo River, Sanzen-in, Kibune Shrine, Katsura Imperial Villa, Citywalk, Fushimi Inari, Yasaka Shrine, Ni-San-Nen-Zaka, Kiyomizu-dera, Rurikoin, and finally arriving in Kobe and Kagoshima. The old streets of Kyoto, century-old shops, cafes and tea houses are full of Japanese style. The route from Kamo River to Gion Shirakawa is an old and charming alley, as if stepping into the movie "A Short Stay in Kyoto". In the shop exploration guide, places like 'Wakabayashiya' and 'Kazuhisa Ichizawa Canvas' allowed me to discover Kyoto's unique craftsmanship and taste. The late-night diner 'Enraku' became an unexpected surprise, making this summer full of unforgettable experiences. The different styles of tabitabi guesthouse and Karasuma Rokkaku Komyo Hotel added a pleasant living experience to the entire journey. Cr: Tianchang

| Summer Scenery. Kyoto is too strong, the first free travel guide after three years This summer, I spent a week in Kyoto. Although it was my first time in Kyoto, I almost went to every place I wanted to go, and some I was longing for, I left for next time～ · ▪️Itinerary · Day1 Saiho-ji Temple - Arashiyama - Kamo River Day2 Sanzen-in + Kifune Shrine Day3 Katsura Imperial Villa + Citywalk Day4 Citywalk + Fushimi Inari Day5 Yasaka Shrine, Ninen-zaka, Kiyomizu-dera, Rurikoin, Osaka - Kobe Airport Day6 Kobe - Kagoshima Cr: Tianchang

Katsura Imperial Villa is a historic Japanese garden that was once the imperial villa of Hachijo Palace and is now managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It is the highest masterpiece of the strolling garden, showcasing the aesthetics of Japanese architecture and gardening. Here you can enjoy the pond that imitates Amanohashidate, the scenery of Shokintei, various teahouses and the style of academies, and feel the charm of Japanese culture. Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires prior reservation and will be led by a professional tour guide at the designated time. 📍Katsuramisono, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto, 615-8014 Japan #Japan and Korea City Attractions #Weekend Tour #Overseas Tour #Japan Travel #Japan Attractions #Christmas Destinations #Check-In

Katsura Imperial Villa is an imperial villa built in the 17th century with a charming Japanese garden. As soon as I stepped into Katsura Imperial Villa, I felt like I had entered a world with unique charm. The design of the garden carefully considers the balance between natural elements and artificial structures, which makes me feel a sense of harmony and tranquility. Ancient trees, maze-like paths and tranquil lakes combine to create a stunning landscape. 🌳🍂🌸 Walking through the gardens, I was mesmerized by the scenery of different seasons. In spring, cherry blossoms bloom and petals fall like snow, filling the entire garden with a romantic atmosphere. In summer, the lake is shaded by green trees and a cool breeze ripples across the lake. In autumn, the maple leaves turn fiery red, adding an alluring touch of colour to the garden. In winter, the garden is covered with snow, creating a fairy-tale-like scene. ❄️🌸🍁 In addition to the scenery, Katsura Imperial Villa also has a long history and cultural value. As the royal palace, it hosts many important historical events and traditional ceremonies. During the guided tour, I learned about the story and meaning behind this imperial palace, which gave me a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and history. 📜🏯🗺️ In addition, in the traditional tea room of Katsura Imperial Villa, sipping the fragrant matcha, I felt a sense of tranquility and inner peace. This simple yet refined experience made me appreciate traditional Japanese art even more! 🍵🎎🌿 Katsura Imperial Villa is a Japanese garden full of history and beauty. Here, I found a balance of tranquility and being with nature. If you come to Kyoto, Katsura Imperial Villa is definitely a place not to be missed, allowing you to immerse yourself in the embrace of Japanese classical beauty. #travel #kyoto #katsura imperial palace #japanese garden #natural beauty #japan and korea urban attractions