I spotted the Kachu-an garden on Google Earth, and for a few years I wondered what it was: high walls, security cameras, modern concrete façade that would resist an encounter with an average sized 30 ton truck. Then of course there's the large metallic sign on the wall with these English words: "This is the place your angels are". A bit creepy isn't it? Well, it turns out the property belongs to a company which makes dolls and is used as a PR/meeting place, for example when a new model is released. Owners of those dolls can also book in advance and visit the garden with their doll, taking pictures of it in a nice setting. Yup, in Japan only... The place opened briefly in autumn 2014, and did not miss the opportunity to have a look.
One thing did bothered me from the start: lamps are found everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Not stone lanterns or discrete lighting systems, but black LED lamps. On the moss. In the trees. In front of the tea house, where an ugly junction box is also prominently displayed. Gaaaa! It gives the place a taste of nouveau riche; like the owner wants to show off and doesn't know how to. But the place is great as it is, it doesn't need these ugly things! This is why I have zero pictures in the maple grove: there simply wasn't any way to frame the shot without 3-4 lights in the way.
It remains an great place though, with a very well tended garden, a lovely tea house and an otherwise nice attention to details. Recommended for: Access: Nearby: Rokuō-in 鹿王院 (460m), Rinsen-ji 臨川寺 (630m), Kōgen-ji 弘源寺 (710m), Nonomiya-jinja 野宮神社 (780m), Seiryō-ji 清涼寺 (830m), Hōkyō-in 宝筺院 (850m), Tenryū-ji 天龍寺 (890m), the Bamboo alley 嵯峨竹林 (940m), Daikaku-ji 大覚寺 (960m), Shōkaku-ji 正覚寺 (960m),... External links: ウィキペディア, Satellite view, Map Keywords: Japan, 日本, Japon, Kyoto, 京都, arashiyama, 嵐山, Kachū-an, 霞中庵 Statistics: id 563, 11 photos (7 extra photos can be found in the archive). |
