What Is Katsura Garden?

          Katsura garden is a famous Japanese garden situated next to the Katswa River to the west of Kyoto. It consists if a south east garden which famously goes against the feng shui tradition of south facing gardens. The reason for it is the views of the rising moon from the terrace that the slight change in position affords.

          The complex was originally built in the Edo period. It was designed for the inhabitancy of a Prince, and the landscaped features provide one of the best examples of borrowed landscape available, reflecting the life that is described throughout The Tale of Genji. The imperial villa is minimalist in style, and an excellent example of the "sukiya" style that was popular in the seventeenth century.

          It consists of a traditional strolling garden, a boating pond with a Chinese style bridge, and a dazzling interconnecting island and bridge network. The strolling garden is a very good example of how the subtle complexities of design can work so well with landscaped natural materials.