On 16th of March in 2010, I visited Okochi Sanso Villa, which is located deep in a bamboo grove in Sagano, Kyoto.
This villa was built by a legendary Japanese actor Okochi Denjiro, who was famous for his samurai roles in period drama films in pre-war times. It is said that he spent half of his life, and half his movie earnings to build this magnificent 20,000㎡ villa standing on a hill which used to be waste land. Located between Arashiyama (Kameyama) Park and the southeast side of Mt. Ogura, this villa 'borrows' scenery from east (Kyoto City to Mt. Hiei) and west (Hozu Valley), and the view from here is just breathtaking. In Arashiyama, which is always crowded throughout the year, this villa is a well kept secret, a place where you can feel the coming of spring at a leisurely pace.
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Find out more about Okochi Sanso Garden.