Isuien Garden

Isuien is split across two historical eras, each with its own distinct mood. The front garden, from the mid-17th century, works with intimate scale: ponds, stepping stones, and carefully pruned trees. The rear garden, completed in the Meiji era, uses a borrowed scenery technique to pull the roofline of Todai-ji's Great South Gate and the wooded slopes of Mount Wakakusa into its composition. The effect is most striking when you realize the mountains behind are not part of the garden at all. The adjacent Neiraku Museum holds ancient Chinese bronze mirrors, ceramics, and Korean pottery. Together they sit along the corridor between Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha, giving you a calm, unhurried pause between Nara's busier landmarks.