Visit to Murin-an Garden
I visited Murin-an Garden on Oct. 14, 2008.
According to brochure, "Murin-an, a villa located near Nanzen-ji Temple in the eastern part of Kyoto, was built during the years 1894-1896 in quiet surroundings selected by YAMAGATA Aritomo veteran statesman of the Meiji and Taisho Periods. ..... The garden was desighned and overseen by Aritomo himself, who had special abilities in landscape gardening, and was executed by OGAWA Jihei, a master gardener. On a gentle slope, borrowing the hills of Higahiyama as its backdrop, this stroll garden draws water by way of a canal and beautifully incorporates a threetiered waterfall, a pond and a luxuriant lawn. ..... "
The east view seen from main house, the hills of Higashiyama was a blur in the rain.
Stream starts from this three-tiered waterfall, and water is drawn by way of a canal from Lake Biwa
Sream runs from the threetiered waterfall to brooks in the garden via this shallow pond.
View of the shallow pond seen from the opposite side, strolling path in the middle of this garden
View of the meeting of two brooks
It's a splendid garden in the Meiji era, and it seems to have a new sense and makes us easy and quiet.