Shugakuin: Worth the Effort?

If you are planning a visit to Shisendo, you have a number of choices if you would like to make a day of it in northeastern Kyoto. In the travel section of my website, I make neutral mention of the other sights to see near Shisendo. Over the next few days, I plan to cast aside my neutrality and share my opinion on all eight of them.

Shugakuin Imperial Villa was built by retired Emperor Go-Mizuno in the 17th century. It is necessary for tourists to apply for a pass at the Imperial Household Agency before visiting. If you carry a foreign passport and are at least 18 years old, you can apply the day of your visit. There is also an Internet application option, but passes are distributed by lottery. Japanese nationals are required to apply in advance using a separate process.

A sprawling stroll garden, Shugakuin is often cited as one of the finest examples of a shakkei (borrowed scenery) garden, although I far prefer the one at the retreat Go-Mizuno abandoned for Shugakuin, Entsuji, which is located just north of Kyoto. Where Entsuji utilizes cedar trees to frame Mount Hiei, and a hedge to disguise the drop into the valley to visually integrate the mountain into the garden, the landscape beyond Shugakuin just seems to be “there.”

Two features I enjoyed about Shugakuin were the floating cloud shelves, and the paintings of the carp that were said to be so realistic that they had to be restrained by nets lest they jump off the doors each night to splash in the pond. The rips in the net are said to illustrate the power of these mighty fish.

Despite Shugakuin's sense of openness, the studied perfection of the garden led my traveling companion that day to label the garden “oppressive” to the point where it made her physically ill. While I didn’t react quite as strongly, I did find the place a little cold. If you decide to visit Shugakuin, allow at least half a day, since you will have to arrive at the scheduled time to receive a guided tour in Japanese. You will be expected to remain with the group, which may also limit the appeal of this "stroll" garden.

Part 2: Haiku Poets, a Shogun, and a Swordsman