Katsura Villa

Katsura Imperial Villa (Katsura Rikyū) is one of the finest examples of purely Japanese architecture and garden design. The villa and garden in their present form were completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan's Imperial Family.

The villa can be viewed only on tours held by the Imperial Household Agency. They last about one hour and are in Japanese only, however, an English audio guide is available. During the tour, the tour group walks along the garden's circular walking trail around the central pond. The palace buildings can be viewed only from the outside. Photographing is allowed only from a few designated spots.