Katsura Imperial Villa was built between 1615 and 1662 by Prince Toshihito, the first head of the Imperial Hachijō-no-miya family. To visit the villa, it is mandatory to book a guided tour through the Imperial Household Agency website. The tour costs ¥1,000 (about €5.50). There are 13 slots each day between 9:00 a.m. and 4:20 p.m., five of which are conducted in English. In most cases, booking just a few days in advance is sufficient. The guided tour lasts about one hour and allows you to admire the magnificent garden and a few traditional tea houses overlooking the central pond. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience that I would definitely recommend.
Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa takes a bit of planning, but that added to the sense of occasion for me. The advance registration process is a little unusual, so it helps to prepare ahead of time, but once I got in, the experience felt very worthwhile. The grounds have a calm, refined atmosphere that makes the extra effort feel justified.
It is regarded as the representative of traditional Japanese architecture and be highly praised by modern architects around the world. It is not as noisy and eyes catching as the royal palace, when it comes to the decorations. However, the highlights of Japanese space reveals when you go around and see through the opening door. You capture the fluency as well as different sides of the lake, buildings and scenes. Designer is so clever that he create the hideaway to enjoy the moon and human-made scenery.
Important reminder: it requires previous reservation online!
Owned by the Japanese Imperial Family, the Japanese garden and traditional buildings, including a teahouse, are meticulously maintained and meticulously crafted. The garden has been carefully landscaped to be enjoyed throughout the seasons. To visit, please make a reservation in advance through the Imperial Household Agency's website. Please bring photo ID with you on the day.
Stunning! The gardens are lovely. You do need to reserve in advance, you have to be on time, and it costs 1000 yen. They also have lots of security and everything feels a bit too formal maybe. But it is the imperial villa and the gardens are incredibly beautiful and well kept. We had a lovely visit.
