Shugakuin Imperial Villa

There are two Imperial Villas in Kyoto, Katsura Rikyuu and Shugakuin Rikyuu. If you're a foreigner visiting Japan, you have to sign up a few months in advance to get a tour. If you're Japanese, you have to put your name in a lottery and maybe, just maybe, you'll get to go in some time in your lifetime.

We foreigners went today. The first exceptional thing that came to my eyes was the space. Unlike the rest of Kyoto this villa is spacious, 133 acres. There are quite a few trees, bushes, and hills, but the overall effect is one of being very close to the sky. The fact that we are at one of the highest elevations in Kyoto (other than on a mountain) does not take away from the magnificent job the Emporer did in designing the villa to be a blending of the man-made with Nature. He employed what is called shakkei, the use of natural scenery to create a serene atmosphere. This is done particularly well by layering the views. The mountains provide a back-drop for the man-made lake and gardens which overlook the city of Kyoto in the valley.

Despite an unexpected thunderstorm which sent the tour guides scurrying for umbrellas, we spent a leisurely hour touring the simple but elegant resting places and houses. What impressed me most, however, was the presence of several rice paddies and vegetable fields on the edges of the property. Apparently, these were bought up in the 1960's to keep the scenery around the villa intact. And although they belong to the Imperial Household Agency, the fields are farmed by locals. The simple stalks of rice made a nice contrast to the stately pine trees lining the paths.