Murin-an

Murin-an is a Japanese strolling garden in the Sakyō district of Kyoto, created in the late 19th century as part of a private villa retreat. A central pond draws water from the Lake Biwa Canal and sits surrounded by around 50 species of moss and natural stone groupings that follow the gentle slope of the grounds.

Prime Minister Aritomo Yamagata commissioned landscape designer Jihei Ogawa VII in 1894 to create this villa garden according to his personal vision. Ogawa worked closely with Yamagata and developed a new style that merged traditional Japanese elements with more open perspectives toward the surrounding mountains.

The garden incorporates shakkei technique by integrating Higashiyama mountains into the design, representing a fusion of traditional and modern Japanese garden elements.

The grounds open daily until 18:00 from April through September and until 17:00 from October through March, with the best visiting time outside peak travel seasons. A narrow path winds through the entire garden and requires careful stepping over uneven stones in some sections.

A Western-style building on the grounds contains rare Kano school bird-and-flower paintings on gold leaf in the upper floor rooms, dating from the early Edo period. This combination of European architecture and classical Japanese wall decoration reflects the cultural shift during the Meiji era.