Are you looking for a beautiful and peaceful escape in Japan? Maybe you’re someone who loves art, flowers, and gardens? Why not combine both and visit a garden museum in the mountains of Kyoto. I can guarantee it will be an experience like no other.
If you have read any of my previous articles, you know that I love going to Kyoto and going on some kind of adventure there. You can see some of those experiences here:
*Into Kyoto’s Vortex: Team Lab Bio-vortex
*Oh My Maiko! Kyoto Maiko and Geisha Performance and QA Experience
Anything related to art, museums, flowers, or nature is exactly where I thrive. So you can imagine my excitement when I found out about a garden art museum hidden in the mountains of Kyoto.
Garden Museum Hiei is located in the Sakyo Ward in Kyoto, near the Biwako-Otsu area. It is the perfect place to visit if you are looking for a peaceful spot in Kyoto that is not overly crowded with tourists.
Unlike the usual busy areas like Gion or Arashiyama, this place feels more quiet, more hidden, and much more immersive in nature. It’s great if you want to experience nature in Kyoto, but also want a bit of art and culture mixed in.
It was quite a journey to get there. If you are traveling from central Osaka (Umeda), it takes around 2 hours, although the ride honestly doesn’t feel that long because the scenery keeps changing.
After the train ride, you take two cable cars to go deeper into the mountains where the garden is located. This part of the journey was honestly one of my favorites.:)
Both my friend and I were so excited looking out the window as we went up into the mountains. We even saw deer along the way. It was oddly peaceful but also very exciting at the same time.
If you go early enough, you can get a front seat in the cable car, which gives you the best view during the ride. The cable car ticket cost around ¥1,000 extra one way.
Cafe
My friend and I were very hungry when we arrived, so we ended up waiting for the café to open. We entered from the opposite side of the garden, so we started at the end of the exhibition instead of the entrance near the parking area.
The café food was nice, and it was a good place to sit down and rest. However, I would recommend eating a proper meal before you go, or stopping at a convenience store beforehand, because the food inside is a bit on the pricier side.
Art & Garden
I was honestly in heaven 😭 I couldn’t believe how beautiful the flowers were. You can easily spend an hour or more just walking around and taking photos. The space is not overly large, but it is designed in a way where you can enjoy it slowly without feeling rushed. There are also benches everywhere, so you can sit and relax whenever you need.
The combination of flowers, water, and art installations felt surreal. It really felt like stepping into a painting.
Museum
The museum section featured European-style artworks, including pieces inspired by Monet and Claude Monet-style impressionist works that you may have seen before.
Since we went on a weekday, there were almost no people there, which made the experience even better. It was easy to take photos, enjoy the atmosphere, and really appreciate the architecture without any distractions.
Photo Spots
There are honestly endless photo spots throughout the entire garden path. Between the flowers, water features, and art displays, it feels like every corner is Instagram-worthy.
I definitely recommend bringing a portable battery pack because your phone will die quickly if you are taking a lot of photos and videos (especially with the travel time included).
Souvenir Shop
Of course, my friend and I had to stop by the souvenir shop after walking through the garden. You can easily spend quite a bit of time here. What I really liked is that the items were surprisingly affordable, and there were also cute photo spots inside the shop and rest areas.
We also noticed that they offer flower workshops, although we didn’t participate this time.
I would 10/10 recommend this place to anyone living in Japan or visiting Kyoto. If you are someone who loves traditional aesthetics, garden scenery, art exhibitions, and nature, this is absolutely a place for you.
It’s also a great stop if you are traveling toward Lake Biwa or driving through the area. 😉
Both my friend and I really enjoyed it and were very happy with the photos we took. However, we also agreed that it is the kind of place you only need to visit once or twice, mostly because of how long it takes to get there by train.
I would personally love to go back again, especially when it’s warmer, because it was quite cold in the mountains when we visited (it rained a lot the day before and we went in the morning though so that may be why). Next time, I would also prefer going by car to make the trip a bit easier.
If you love traditional Japanese aesthetics, peaceful garden scenery, art exhibits, and nature, this is definitely a place worth visiting.:)
This was my first time experiencing a garden museum like this, and the combination of European-style art with Japanese nature was honestly something I felt really grateful for. Not to mention, it is also the perfect Instagrammable spot for beautiful photos.
I’m sure you will enjoy it just as much if you decide to visit Garden Museum Hiei.
Until the next article, please stay happy, healthy, and immersed in nature in Japan <3
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