Sento Gosho (Sento Imperial Palace)（仙洞御所）
A Refined Imperial Garden Rooted in Poetry and Power
Sentō Gosho is a historic strolling garden in Kyoto, originally created in 1630 as the retirement grounds of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. Though the palace buildings were lost to fire and never rebuilt, the garden remains a masterpiece of early Edo-period landscape design.
The garden was created under the direction of Kobori Enshu, a renowned tea master, artist, and garden designer, with the emperor himself contributing ideas rooted in his deep knowledge of poetry, calligraphy, and traditional aesthetics. The garden once featured two villas—one for the emperor and one for the empress—separated by a wall.
Today, the garden centers around a large pond with several islands, six unique bridges, and winding paths framed by natural scenery. Two original teahouses remain, offering insights into courtly refinement and Zen-influenced design. The Sentō Gosho garden reflects both imperial elegance and samurai-era artistry.
Access is only available by guided tour, which is free of charge and can be reserved via the Imperial Household Agency. Tours are held in Japanese, with an English audio guide available.
Read more in our eBook!
Sentō Gosho Garden Guide
This eBook explores the Sentō Gosho garden in Kyoto, designed by tea master Kobori Enshu for Emperor Go-Mizunoo.
Ideal for garden lovers, cultural travelers, and fans of Japanese history.
Learn more before your visit—or revisit from home.
Gallery
Directions
How to get to the garden
From Kyoto station, take the Karasuma line to Marutamachi station (丸太町, 4 stops, 7 minutes). From there, enter the Kyoto-gyoen and go to the entrance of the Sentō-Gosho in the center of the park.
If you prefer to go by bus, take the city bus 205 and get off at the bus stop Furitsu-idaibyouin-mae (府立医大病院). The bus stop is to the east of the Kyoto-gyoen, enter the park and walk in a westwards direction.
Address
- EN: Kyoto Gyoen, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi 〒602-0881
- JP: 〒602-0881 京都府京都市,上京区京都御苑
Opening times
- A reservation is needed. Guided tours only.
- Every 1.5 hours from 9:30 - 15:30 (Japanese tour, Passport or ID required)
- Closed on Modays except the Monday is a national holiday.
- Closed on Tuesday if the previous Monday was a national holiday.
- Closed at the end of the year: December 28 - January 4.
See the opening calendar and visit the official website for online application.
Admission fee
- Free
- Children under 18 are not allowed! (This includes newborns in baby carriers.)
Facilities & Accessibility
- Multilingual Audioguides available
- Lockers are available for small luggage
- Multipurpose toilets available
- The garden is not barrier-free.
Best time to visit
- In late April - early May when the azaleas are in bloom.
- End of November/ Beginning of December for autumn leaves.
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