Sento palace

Seika-tei with Suhama pond edge

The Sentō Palace ( Japanese 仙洞御所 , Sentō Gosho ) is a palace and garden complex within the Imperial Park in Kyōto ( 京都御苑 , Kyōto Gyoen ). The garden, like the gardens of the two imperial villas Katsura and Shugakuin , is accessible on request from the Imperial Court Office, Kyoto office.

history

The original Sentō Gosho was completed for the resigned Emperor Go-Mizunoo in 1630. At the same time the "Tōfukumon-in" ( 東福門院 ) was completed immediately north of it for the wife of the emperor . The subsequent emperors Reigen , Nakamikado , Go-Sakuramachi and Kōkaku also used these systems. When, however, not only Kyoto was devastated in the major fire of 1854, but also the palace district burned down, and since there was no retired empress, the area was no longer used.

In 1867 the "Ōmiya Gosho" ( 大宮御所 ) was rebuilt for the incumbent Empress Eishō , wife of the Emperor Kōmei , at the site of the old palace of the resigned empresses . But then the Empress moved to Tōkyō, only the main building, the “Otsune Goten”, ( 御常御殿 ) remained.

The garden was created in 1630 by the garden designer and tea master Kobori Enshū , commissioner for building matters of the shogunate ( 作奉行 , sakubugyō ). Later the large pond was divided into a north pond and a south pond and the garden as a whole was adapted to the taste of the time. Nevertheless, the original character of a Japanese convertible garden has been preserved and forms a green oasis in the middle of the city.

tour

The Ōmiya Gosho located in the northwest was used as a residence by the Empress Eishō until 1872. Now the palace is used for guests of the empress or high-ranking foreign guests. In the adjoining area in the south, the former Sentō Gosho is missing, the garden used by both palaces, the green areas and forests surrounding the central body of water have been preserved.

After entering the complex through the outer gate, you can see the transverse side of the Ōmiya palace with its staggered roofs that tower above the entrance area ( 車寄せ , kuruma-yose ).

Nordteich and its surroundings

Yūshin-tei ( 又新亭 ): This tea house was moved here in 1884 and replaced a tea house that had previously burned down.
Akosegafuchi ( 阿古瀬淵 ): This small bay takes its name from Akokuso, who later became known as Ki no Tsurayuki . Six stone slabs form a flat bridge ( 六枚橋 , rokumai-bashi ) to cross.
Momoijibashi ( 紅葉橋 ): This simple earth-covered bridge crosses the opening that connects the north and south ponds.

Südteich and its surroundings

Yatsuhashi ( 八つ橋 ) is a zigzag bridge that leads to a small island in the southern pond. The current one is an addition from the Meiji period , made of stone held together by iron bolts. The bridge leads through an iron trellis that is covered with wisteria.
Seika-tei ( 醒花亭 ): The term Seika, which revolves around flowers, was taken from a poem by Li Bai , which is written as a stone rub-off on the inside of the door. The tea house is laid out according to the principle of the "three houses" ( 三店式 , santenshiki ), ie sake, inn and tea house.
Suhama ( 洲浜 ) is a flat bank of solid, fist-sized pebbles on the western edge of the southern pond.