Shosei-en Garden — Attraction in Kyoto

This garden was great! I know there are many gardens in Kyoto lighted up during Autumn, and this one might seem underwhelming compared to the grander ones in the area.

But, when I visited, there weren't that many people and that is awesome for me as an introvert and photography enthusiast. I went to Korakuen garden in Okayama and that place was definitely beautiful and more grand, but there was so many people that it was exhausting and such a bother to take photographs.

Here, you can really take your time and, at the same time, enjoy the garden in peace.

There are several beautiful points of interests and the koyo/red leaves were beautiful! The best part was the live music show. A woman wearing kimono performed using a traditional Japanese string instrument. This was done inside one of the traditional buildings there. What a beautiful cultural experience.

This Garden is across one of the biggest temples in Kyoto - Higashi Honganji and I had no trouble finding it solo via Google Maps. Entrance fee was 500 yen and they closed at 9pm. Mind you, this is Autumn season schedule. Staff were very helpful although they told me I couldn't use my tripod.

The garden itself is not that large but has very nice features including a small man-made lake with Japanese trees planted...

Visiting the Shōseien Garden was, without a doubt, the best decision I made during my stay in Kyoto. I opted for the guided tour, and it truly elevated the entire experience. The garden itself is a masterpiece where everything is grown organically, and during my visit, I had the rare opportunity to meet the directors of gardening. They even suggested that we try tasting some of the wild greens growing in the garden. Admittedly, the taste wasn’t exactly delicious, but it was a unique and memorable experience!

The guided tour was incredibly informative. Our guide explained the fascinating history behind each building and shared insights into the different styles of Japanese gardening featured throughout the grounds. Every detail seemed to have a story, making the garden feel alive with tradition and meaning.

To top it all off, we were lucky enough to spot several herons gracefully wandering the garden—just like the ones from Studio Ghibli’s film "The Boy and the Heron." It felt like stepping into a scene from a magical world.

If you’re in Kyoto, I can’t recommend the guided tour at Shōseien Garden enough. It’s an experience that goes far beyond just beautiful scenery—it’s a journey into the heart of Japanese...

Beautiful Japanese garden - displaying ponds, variety of trees n fauna, notably many preserved wooden buildings and structures which have been repaired or reconstructed. Wonderfully scenic and very serene atmosphere in the gardens. Although not as large as many of the top ranked gardens it is still worth a trip in my humble opinion. Not overly crowded which makes for a very relaxed pleasant stroll through all the various areas. The pathway goes an entire round covering the whole garden. Entrance fees are charged but reasonable considering the upkeep n level of care taken for the gardens. Take some time to examine the buildings n structures apart from enjoying the trees, flowers n fauna! It’s not too far a walk from Kyoto station 25-30mins brisk! There are no guides here but a detailed brochure which comes with the price of the entrance fee is a nice touch n can be retained...