Take a Picture of Kyoto Tower’s Reflection! －”Shoseien Garden” maintaining its appearance since the middle of the 1600s

Located within a 10-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station and Gojo Station on the subway, ‘Higashi Honganji Temple (東本願寺)’ has many modern Kyoto-style architectures and 6 important cultural properties in the precincts. From here, a 7-minute walk toward Kamogawa River takes you to “Shoseien Garden (渉成園)” which belongs to the temple. Do you know this garden is popular as an Insta-worthy spot?

“Shoseien Garden” was born in 1641 because of Tokugawa Iemitsu’s, the 3rd Shogunate, donating land with about 33,000㎡. Architectures in the temple’s precincts had been destroyed by fires 2 times, so all existing ones were rebuilt after the late 1800s. On the other hand, Shoseien Garden has maintained almost the same appearance since its made.

This garden adopts taste of a writer Jozan Ishikawa, who is famous for building ‘Shisendo (詩仙堂).’ Owing to his cultural great sense, it features that the scenery full of different attractions spreads out and doesn’t get visitors bored. Then, it’s designated as a national scenic spot.

When you visit the garden, please don’t forget to look at the pond in the center. Kyoto Tower is clearly reflected on the surface of the pond on a sunny day. The scenery created by lush green and old wooden bridge, real Kyoto Tower and its reflection make you feel a mysterious feeling as if you were in the 1600s and 2000s.