Murin-an Garden

Murin-an Garden is one of Kyoto’s finest examples of a modern Japanese landscape garden. Created as the Kyoto villa of statesman Yamagata Aritomo, the garden was designed by the renowned landscape master Ogawa Jihei VII (Ueji) and is designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty. Its expansive lawn, flowing streams, and borrowed scenery of the Higashiyama Mountains marked a revolutionary departure from traditional temple gardens.

Unlike Kyoto’s Zen gardens, Murin-an embraces openness and natural scenery. Water from the Lake Biwa Canal flows gently through the garden, creating a tranquil atmosphere that perfectly reflects the ideals of modern Japanese landscape design.

History

Murin-an was constructed between 1894 and 1896 as Yamagata Aritomo’s private villa in Kyoto. The garden introduced innovative landscape techniques by combining natural streams, spacious lawns, and distant mountain views into a harmonious composition.

The villa is also famous as the site of the Murin-an Conference in 1903, where Yamagata Aritomo, Itō Hirobumi, Katsura Tarō, and Komura Jutarō discussed Japan’s diplomatic policy before the Russo-Japanese War. As a result, Murin-an is significant not only as a masterpiece of landscape architecture but also as an important site in modern Japanese political history.

Highlights

Masterpiece by Ogawa Jihei VII

Admire one of the greatest works of Kyoto’s legendary modern landscape designer.

Borrowed Scenery of Higashiyama

Enjoy sweeping views that seamlessly incorporate the surrounding mountains into the garden’s design.

Lake Biwa Canal Stream

Listen to the gentle sound of canal water flowing naturally through the garden.

Site of the Murin-an Conference

Visit the historic villa where leading Japanese statesmen discussed foreign policy in the early twentieth century.

Meiji-Era Western Building

Explore both traditional Japanese architecture and an elegant Western-style building within the villa grounds.

Visit Tips

Take time to sit inside the main residence and quietly admire the garden from its wide verandas. This perspective best reveals Ogawa Jihei’s masterful composition of water, lawns, and borrowed scenery.

Murin-an is especially beautiful during the fresh greenery of spring and the vibrant colors of autumn, though the lush lawns of early summer are equally impressive. It pairs perfectly with nearby visits to Nanzen-ji Temple, Keage Incline, the Lake Biwa Canal Museum, and the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art for a full day exploring Kyoto’s Meiji-era heritage.