Kyoto

Jul 27, 2014 - 1 min read

Garden Museum on Mount Hiei

A very unusual art museum in the hills above Kyoto

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

The paintings are displayed at various points around the garden

My favorite area was this slope planted with blue salvia

This pig was one of many small statues tucked away in the borders like garden gnomes

Butterflies enjoy the flowers too

A pretty white tin lantern

A rustic lean-to against the wall

Gravel paths lead between borders crammed with flowers

A sweep of blue salvia leads the eye to an easel with a framed painting

Another painting tucked into a beautiful border

Colorful koi in the lily pond

Have we been mysteriously transported to Giverny in France?

Couple admiring the lily pond from under a pergola

It was so pleasant and relaxing to wander along paths through the flowers

There are many beautiful views, like this one of layered blue hills

I enjoy art museums, but I enjoy gardens even more. This place combines both, displaying framed artwork on easels positioned around a large, well designed European style garden that includes many different areas, including a lily pond that is straight out of a Monet painting. The art on display is full-size framed reproductions of famous impressionist paintings, standing on easels set right in among the plants. For example, you can view one of Monet's water lily paintings with the real life lily pond in the background. Mount Hiei is usually cooler than the city below, so a visit to the Garden Museum also offers a respite from the insufferable heat of Kyoto summer for a while.

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Cathy Cawood

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

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