Heian Shrine Garden

Author: Richard Perkins
Photos/Videos Taken: 2020/12/29
Address: 97 Okazaki Nishitennocho, Sakyo-ku,
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto,【606-8341】
Entrance Fee: ¥600

The Heian Shrine Garden, as its name implies, is the garden attached to Heian Shrine—a Shintō shrine built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of Kyoto Prefecture’s designation as the capital of Japan—located in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture. Designed by seventh-generation landscaper Ogawa Jihei, this beautiful garden took (around) 20 years to complete.

The Heian Shrine Garden comprises four gardens—the South Garden, West Garden, Middle Garden, and East Garden—all of which surround the main shrine buildings of Heian Shrine. Covering a total of 33,000 square meters, it is a vast Japanese garden designed in the 池泉回遊 (chisenkaiyū) style, a landscape style featuring a walking path that circles a central pond. Below is an introduction to each of the four gardens.

East Garden
The East Garden centers around the 栖鳳池 (seihō-ike) pond, which was developed between the late Meiji period (1868–1912) and the Taishō period (1912–1926), following the shrine’s initial construction. Spanning the pond is the 泰平閣 (taiheikaku) bridge, which originally stood at the Kyoto Imperial Palace before being relocated and reconstructed here in 1913.

Middle Garden
The Middle Garden is built around the 蒼龍池 (sōryū-ike) pond and is especially well known for the purple 杜若 (kaki-tsubata—a rabbit-ear iris) that bloom in early May. The 臥龍橋 (garyūkyō) stepping stones, which appear to float across the Sōryū-ike pond, are symbolic not only of the Middle Garden but of the Heian Shrine Garden as a whole.

West Garden
The West Garden surrounds the 白虎池 (byakko-ike) pond and is famous for the beautiful 花菖蒲 (hanashōbu—Japanese iris) that bloom in early summer.

South Garden
The South Garden is also referred to as the “Heian Garden”. It is particularly notable for its beautifully blooming 枝垂れ桜 (shidare-zakura—weeping cherry blossom trees) in spring. This garden was created based on the plants and vegetation described in literature from the Heian period.

The Heian Shrine Garden is tranquil and full of nature. It’s hard to believe that it’s in the middle of a large city. There are often fewer tourists here than in many other Japanese gardens in Kyoto Prefecture, and one of its greatest charms is being able to stroll through it at one’s own leisurely pace. With cherry blossoms in spring, Japanese irises in summer, vibrant autumn foliage, and a dreamlike landscape after snowfall in winter, this is one garden well worth visiting at any time of the year.

For those who enjoy Western films, there’s a good chance one may have seen the Heian Shrine Garden before. The American film Lost in Translation—shot in Japan and the recipient of several awards—features some of Kyoto Prefecture’s most iconic locations. One memorable scene shows American actress Scarlett Johansson walking across several of the garyūkyō stepping stones in this garden.