Okochi Sanso Villa & Gardens

One of my favorite gardens on the tour was the Okochi Garden that was created by Japanese actor Denjiri Okochi. Located in the northwest hills above Kyoto, it was a picture of tranquility.

First, we walked through a Bamboo Forest to get there -

A pathway led from the forest path up the hill to a garden entrance -

The main house -

A menagerie of pathways encircle the house and winds around the perimeter of the house. 

At one spot, an open pavilion called the "Moonlight Pavillion" provides a fantastic view of the city of Kyoto.

The creator of this paradise, Denjiro Okochi (1898-1962) studied literature and dabbled in writing before he began an acting career in 1920's silent cinema. He specialized in period dramas and jidaigeki (samurai). One of his best-loved characters was Tange Sazen, a fictional swordsman with one arm, one leg and one eye. He played the role in numerous films.

He spent thirty years creating his garden and he died there of stomach cancer in 1962 at the age of 64.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy