Castle & Palace · Katsura / Nishikyo

Katsura Imperial Villa 桂離宮

The masterpiece of Japanese architecture and garden design, a 17th-century princely villa of teahouses around a pond, seen on a one-hour guided tour by reservation.

About

Katsura Rikyu was built in the early 17th century by Prince Hachijo-no-miya Toshihito and his son Toshitada. Its stroll garden around a central pond unfolds as a sequence of carefully staged views: teahouses such as Shokintei, with its blue-and-white checkerboard fusuma, Shokatei and Shoiken, and the Shoin buildings arranged in a staggered "flying geese" line. Bruno Taut, the German architect, praised it in 1933 as the essence of modernist simplicity, launching its fame among architects worldwide. The visit is a guided tour of about an hour along the garden paths (buildings viewed from outside), with an English audio guide. Since 2018 there is an admission fee. Book online through the Imperial Household Agency, or try for same-day tickets at the gate, which are limited.

Highlights

• Shokintei teahouse with its checkerboard fusuma
• Flying-geese layout of the Shoin buildings
• Stroll garden with constantly shifting views
• Stone pathways of varied textures
• Praised by Bruno Taut and modernist architects

Tips

• Book online on the Imperial Household Agency site; slots open three months ahead.
• A limited number of same-day tickets are distributed at the gate; arrive early.
• Bring passport or photo ID for the check-in.
• From Katsura Station on the Hankyu line, it is a 20-minute walk.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Nishikyogoku Sports ParkPark · 1.1 km away
• Menya SandaRamen & Noodles · 2.1 km away
• Mugi no YoakeRamen & Noodles · 2.2 km away
• Kegon-ji (Suzumushi-dera)Temple · 2.4 km away
• Saiho-ji (Kokedera Moss Temple)Temple · 2.4 km away
• Mendokoro ToritaniRamen & Noodles · 2.5 km away
• Ramen TsurumushaRamen & Noodles · 2.6 km away
• Aitsu no Ramen Kataguruma (Honten)Ramen & Noodles · 2.6 km away