Katsura Imperial Villa is a villa with having magnificent garden. The villa is located south west of Kyoto and the size of the garden is about 70, 000km2.
The Villa was began to build around 17th century for the first family of Hachijonomiya line Toshihito (八条宮智仁親王). And finished when the third Hachijonomiya family Yasuhito was head of the family. In early days, the garden was pretty small, however. The prince Hachijonomiya had extinct in early Meiji period so the garden owner was changed to the government.
Garden
The garden is surrounded by bamboo forest and unique bamboo fence called katsuragaki and takehogaki.
In the middle of the garden, there is a pond in which three islands are. In the west of the pond, there are some shoins, the Japanese drawing rooms. The formation of the shoins are flight formation of geese which often used in Japanese garden.
Around the pond, there are four tea houses and to waiting rooms and one pergola. These buildings are connected with stepping stones and there are twenty four stone lantern around the stepping stones.
In this garden, you can enjoy various landscape by walking on the stepping stones.