Shūgakuin Imperial Villa
修学院離宮, Shūgakuin Rikyū
A beautiful villa commissioned by Emperor Gomizuno-o in 1655 and completed four years later. The area is separated into three separate villas. In the lower villa, you'll find a lovely garden with a stream running through it and the Jugetsukan, where the emperor relaxed before making his way to the upper villa. The middle villa is home to the Rakushi-ken, princess Akinomiya's home, and the Kyaku-den, which was also given to Akinomiya when the consort that it was built for died prior to its completion. These buildings contain some particularly beautiful artwork, and an interesting flat pine tree. After seeing all of that, you will finally be escorted to the upper villa. Upon entering the villa, you will ascend the stairs to discover a gorgeous view of the garden and Yokuryū Pond. The tour ends with a stroll along the outer edges of a pond, past a waterfall and the bridges. Princess Diana was once a guest here, a fact the tour guides love to share with visitors. The best time to visit is said to be the autumn when the leaves are changing. If you plan to visit, make your reservation 3 months in advance for the best chances. One-hour tours (in Japanese) start at 09:00, 10,00, 11:00, 13:30, 15;00.
- Address
- Sakyō-ku, Shūgaku-in, Yabuso
- Price
- Free
- Phone
- +81752111215
Listing from Wikivoyage: Kyoto/North, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Also listed in Overture Maps open data.
Updated 27 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.