🗺️ Murinan無鄰菴

Built between 1894 and 1896, this was the former villa of politician Yamagata Aritomo from the Meiji and Taisho eras. The garden was designed by the renowned landscape architect Ogawa Jihei VII and consists of a garden, main house, Western-style building, and tea room. Murin-an is the only garden in the Nanzen-ji area that is open year-round and has been designated as a national scenic spot. To properly manage the facilities and allow public access, there is a limited number of visitors each day, and reservations can be made through the official website. The garden features a bright lawn space with a view of the Higashiyama mountains and a gentle stream fed by the Biwa Lake Canal. Everywhere you look, you can see Yamagata Aritomo's unique aesthetic appreciation for the garden, earning him the title of a pioneer of modern Japanese melancholy in Kyoto. Inside the Western-style building, there are display boards and videos related to the garden open for viewing. The meeting room where the "Murin-an Conference" discussed the foreign policy of the Meiji government is also open to the public. Additionally, at the garden café, you can enjoy drinks and dessert sets at the same spot where Yamagata Aritomo once gazed upon the garden.

The former villa of Yamagata Aritomo features a garden that is praised as a masterpiece of modern Japanese gardens. There is also a garden café where you can enjoy drinks and desserts while overlooking the garden. Please make a reservation through the official website for entry.