English
Murin-an
31, Nanzenji Kusakawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 606-8437, Japan
It was constructed between 1894-96 and is made up of its garden and three buildings: a main house, a Western-style house, and a tearoom. The garden is a modern Japanese garden masterpiece created by master gardener Ogawa Jihei VII based upon Yamagata’s instructions.
Unlike the symbolist gardens that prevailed in Japan until that time that likened ponds to oceans and rocks to islands, Murin-an was built upon a new naturalist view of gardens using the surrounding village mountain landscapes and river streams themselves to produce a dynamic sense of motion.
Of the many garden villas in the Nanzen-ji Temple area, it is the only garden to be open to the public all year round. In 1951, it was designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty.
On the second floor of the Western-style house, there is the “Murin-an Conference” room where Yamagata met with fellow statesman Itō Hirobumi to prepare for the Russo-Japanese War.
The room’s appearance on that day is still maintained today. Introduction taken from the official website.