Katsura Imperial Villa

Katsura Imperial Villa, once the royal palace constructed in 1624, is located by Kyoto’s Katsura River. As one of the 3 major royal gardens in Japan, it enjoyed a glorious history serving many Japanese royal family members. While visiting it, you can feel the Japanese aesthetics through its plain buildings and many details in the garden.

Katsura Imperial Villa

What to See or What’s Special about Katsura Imperial Villa

Katsura Imperial Villa mainly consists of 3 parts: an academy, 4 tea houses, and a garden winding across the entire Villa.

1. Beauty Combining Mountain and Water

In the garden, there is an irregularly shaped pool whose water directly comes from the Katsura River. With the spring in the center, there are 5 small artificial islands, symbolizing Japan’s territory. The 5 islands in the pond are connected by bridges. You can also see earthen hills and pavilions on the islands. In the past, people would drink tea in the pavilions. 

2. Decorated by Details like Stone Lanterns & Bridges

One feature of traditional Japanese aesthetics is adding details as much as possible even in a small space. You can also feel such an idea in Katsura Imperial Villa by the stone lanterns of various shapes and stone arch bridges.

Stone Bridge in the Villa

3. A Plain Rather Than Luxurious Wooden Buildings

In many countries, the royal buildings look luxurious such as the Buckingham Palace in Britain and the Grand Kremlin Palace in Russia. However, Katsura Imperial Villa is different. Most buildings inside are like thatched cottages with a grass roof and curved wooden pillars appearing in their original form. You can even see barks on the pillars. This shows that Japanese people regard the proximity to nature as the highest beauty.

Tea Houses

4. Elegant Environment Created by Pines and Maples

Maple Leaves

Apart from the plain buildings, Katsura Imperial Villa works to create an elegant environment with plants, mainly maple trees. When the breeze blows, the rubbing of maple leaves and pine needles can be heard. In Japanese culture, the two plants symbolize longevity, auspiciousness, prosperity, and vitality. This grants the Villa another sense of cultural connotation.

5. Micro Amanohashidate

In the Villa, you can see “Amanohashidate”, a sandbank along the shore of the water, mainly formed by cobblestones. Such a sight is the imitation of Kyoto’s famous attraction – a 3.2-kilometer-long (2 mi), 40~100-meter-wide (44 – 109 ft) sandbar surrounded by about 7,000 pine trees in the northwest of Kyoto.

6. Origin of Katsura Imperial Villa’s Name

The Japanese name of the Villa deals with “osmanthus tree” and it is related to Chinese culture. In traditional Chinese legends, you may hear about the story of Chang’e who lives on the Moon. The palace where this woman lives is also called Osmanthus Palace, as there is such a tree in it. 

Open hours 

9:00 – 16:20 from Tuesday to Sunday 

Ticket

1. 1,000 yen for visitors aged 18 or over 18
2. Free for those 12 – 17
3. Note that the children below 12 are not allowed for the entry.
3. Online or on-site application a few months in advance is necessary, but the latter one is not recommended for too many tourists.
4. Only 1 hour’s visit time

How to Get there

Katsura Imperial Palace is located in the west of Kyoto. It is not far from downtown area, about 8 km (5 mi) far away.

1. By Train

Take Kyoto Line of Hankyu Railway, get off at Katsura Station, and then you can arrive at Katsura Imperial Villa by walking for 20 minutes.

2. By Bus

You can also take either Kyoto City Bus or OR Keihan Kyoto Kotsu Bus and get off at Rikyu-mae Bus Stop. Later, in another 15 minutes’ walk, you can get to the Villa.

Recommended Tour Route

To see all the buildings in Katsyra Imperial Villa, you can follow the tour order:
Miyukimon Gate → Miyukimichi Lane → Sotokoshikake → Suhama → Amanohashidate →Shokintei → Shoketei → Onrindo → Shoiken → Academy (Koshoin, Chushoin, and Shingoten) → Chumon Gate

Free Guidance Service

The Villa has an English tour guidance service for foreign visitors at particular times, including 9:20, 11:20, 13:20, 15:20, and 16:20. If you don’t catch the right time, you can apply for a multi-lingual audio guide at the entrance.

Other Recommended Places in Kyoto

1. Kyoto Imperial Palace

Kyoto Imperial Palace was the residence of Japanese royal family members for about 10 centuries. In the Palace, you can see malls or other buildings with different functions such as holding the coronation ceremony, daily routine, the emperor meeting courtiers, and appreciating birds. 

2. Shugakuin Imperial Villa

Shugakuin Imperial Villa was designed personally by a Japanese emperor and constructed in the 17th century. Consisting of 3 tea houses, Shugakuin Imperial Villa works to integrate with the nature. For example, the Villa was built by the foot of Mount Hiei and the 3 teahouses all stand by ponds. Also, you can see different waterfalls, huge or small, flow through the tea houses.