Shugakuin Imperial Villa is a large strolling garden in the hills of eastern Kyoto that is considered to be one of Japan’s most important cultural treasures. The villa is organized around three main grounds, the lower, middle, and upper gardens, each housing a series of outbuildings that frame uninterrupted views of the vast and beautiful landscape. These areas sit at a distance from one another, linked by a meandering path that allows one to traverse through the site. By organizing the garden in this fashion, the individual uncovers it gradually, frame by frame. As such, Shugaku-in is a prime example of the spatial narrative, providing an effective introduction, builder, and climax to one’s journey. The most captivating view occurs at the highest point in the garden, a vantage point that provides a full panorama of the upper garden and its surroundings.
Because the garden is so extensive, it is difficult to distinguish the edge, thereby blending it more fully into its context. Though it is entirely man-made, the flawless appearance of its countless features allows Shugakuin to take on the semblance of a natural, untampered environment.
After spending the morning enjoying a leisurely walk through the beautiful gardens of Shugaku-in, I left with a friend for Fushimi-Inari, a Shinto shrine that is renowned for its endless array of torii. Nothing could prepare us for the sheer magnitude of gates that we walked through, a number that is estimated around 10,000. We hiked through every single one, making it all the way to the top of the mountain to view the modest shrine for Inari, the Shinto god of prosperity.
The day came to a close with a relaxing visit to Tofuku-ji, where we admired Buddhist temples against the backdrop of a majestic green forest. When entering the site, we crossed over an elegant wooden bridge, moving level with the peaks of adjacent trees. The bulk of our time was spent in the main hall, admiring the neatly checkered pattern of sand and vibrant colors of the garden. This temple felt entirely different from others that we have seen, as it stood enclosed by hard walls on three sides. The remaining wall was suggested through a shield of trees and vegetation, thereby uniting the space directly with its natural context. No sound other than the chirping of birds disturbed the atmosphere of the temple, leaving us in silence.
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