One of the highlights of our time in Kyoto was our visit to Katsura Imperial Villa and its very special garden. It was my favorite of all of the gardens we visited because it had everything – a beautiful pond, exquisite bridges, unparalleled architecture of the buildings, it was perfectly maintained, and we visited this garden with only 20 other people. It was stunningly beautiful!
We signed up for an English-speaking tour and had a wonderful guide. Our guide provided an overview of the property and then we were led through Katsura Imperial gardens along a designated path (no detours allowed!). The entire tour took about an hour. Those of us who were taking pictures remained at the back of the group so we didn’t have to rush :).
Katsura Imperial Villa is considered one of the finest examples of Japanese architecture and garden design. The villa and garden in their present form were completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family. It was one of the oldest gardens we visited during our entire time in Japan.
First bridge into the garden with stone pathway and cypress moss on the edges (which will turn green later in the season)
Palace buildings can be viewed only from the outside, and they say photographing is allowed only from designated spots. However, they seemed comfortable with us taking pictures throughout our walk around the garden.
The only way to visit Katsura Imperial Villa is by making a reservation online well in advance. The Imperial Household opens up spaces about 4 months in advance. It’s not 100% easy to figure out, so definitely start early if you want to visit this garden. (For example, your hotel concierge can’t do it for you; you have to do it yourself). I would design your schedule around the availability of this garden and don’t forget to bring a physical copy of your reservation with you to the garden.
Katsura Imperial Villa was the last garden we saw during our time in Kyoto and I would say it was our Grand Finale of all of the gardens we saw during our time in Japan.
