What a great spot to come! Since the bamboo forest is the main draw, the crowds there get horrible. This place however charges a small few to enter, but it was totally worth it. My wife and I were Practically alone through most of the gardens. Absolutely beautiful, and it really gave us the peace and tranquility you wanted when coming to a place like this. It's a great place to enjoy true beauty and be in privacy at the same time. A must stop if you are in the area.

On our previous visit to Arashiyama, we hadn't visited the Okochi Sanso garden as there was lots of fall colours in the distance to the South. But this year, with a hot fall (it was probably high 20C's), the leaves were still mostly green. So we thought we'll check out this garden. And it was such a great and pleasant surprise! Even when walking up the driveway, we got a sense of it being planned and managed without being manicured. So still very peaceful. And interesting to read the history and intentions of the builder (a famous film star from long ago). The place is well signposted and we're supposed to keep to the directions, which is good as it takes us to view all the areas and the views. No pressure as it wasn't crowded so if we liked a spot, we stayed and let others pass us by. We spent a very pleasant hour of so walking in the gardens and looking at the well preserved buildings. At the end, there's a washroom and a tea-house. That last is a bit of a let-down. Really production line green tea, served (I think) with condensed milk as I don't recall having such sweet green tea before. I think Okochi Denjiro would be spinning in his grave!

What a beautiful place!! Amidst the busy bamboo forest lies this beautiful quiet gem. The garden was massive, and equipped with walking paths that lead to amazing views. A cup of hot green tea and traditional biscuits was the icing on the cake. It’s so sad how people skip this garden just cause you have to pay 1000 YEN Entry. But I’m glad that there wasn’t many people, because we were isolated amongst ourselves and enjoyed the tranquility away from the business of the bamboo forest 1000% recommend

More relaxing garden after the busy Arashimaya bamboo forest. You’ll definitely spend more than an hour here appreciating the gardens and home of a famous japanese actor in the early 1920’s.

This garden was incredibly beautiful! It was so peaceful and quiet as well. It is beautifully maintained and had a tea house on the premises. A ticket for a free green tea and small sweet were included in the ticket price of the garden. We were there a little bit early to experience the full Fall colors, but the greenery was breathtaking. This place is a must to visit if you're in Kyoto.

Beautiful garden in Arashiyama near Bamboo Forest! Entrance fee is 1,000¥ with free hot matcha. And most importantly, there weren't many people inside the garden. My son enjoyed walking around in the garden because it’s like a maze, as if he was trying to find a way out. And the views are beautiful, especially in autumn. Highly recommended!

If you visit Kyoto especially during peak season, i guarantee none of the attraction will have the appeal due to the crowd. This garden is an oasis to escape from the sea of people. The price might seem exorbitant but i assure you its worth it. You can admire the beauty of this garden thanks to its relatively small crowd. Most times you'll find yourself alone. I fondly remember entering a small house where i was all alone. I sat on the tatami and enjoyed the garden view without any disturbance. One of the highlights of this trip. Oh the price also includes traditional matcha and a sweet (see pic)

Very beautiful place. The history of this place is fascinating. A garden cultivated by a famous Japanese actor which was turned into a tourist destination. You will need to pay to enter the garden but it was totally worth it. I highly recommend this this place.

Yes it definitely worth a visit! DO NOT let the ¥1000 entrance deter you. The best views in the area and the best cold tea at the tea house. Follow the designated path and you will be wowed at every turn.

The ticket price was 1000 yen/adult. It was a little steep, but totally worth it. You find yourself in a tranquil garden with beautiful views in every step. After the bustle of the bamboo garden this was a great escape! The green tea was enjoyable to sip on after walking the garden grounds!

What a beautiful and serene place. Totally worth the 1000y. You get to see a handful of really cool buildings which were someone’s house! Pretty cool. And you end the visit with tea right by the bamboo forest. Really cool spot without the crowds of the bamboo forest

My favorite garden in Kyoto! I recommend this over the temple down the road. My 4 year old loved following the arrows along the one-way path through the gorgeous garden. Each viewpoint was more beautiful than the last. It took a good 10 minutes to walk through. When you walk in, the first thing you do is sit in a tea house and enjoy hot matcha and a Japanese wagashi/sweet/cookie. The view of bamboo from the tea house felt zen and it was a welcomed pit stop after walking through the bamboo forest road to get there. Be warned that you cannot rent a bike and ride to the bamboo forest or this garden. There are too many pedestrians. Just walk from the train station, learn from our mistake!

One of the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever seen. It has lots of viewpoints to Kyoto and to the mountains. A must visit! Definitely visit Myokoan inside of the garden, too. It’s a magical meditative place.

This garden gives one the much needed relief from the crowded chaos in Arashiyama. The grounds are well maintained and are mostly pathed with clear signs. There’re a variety of trees with seasonal colors planted across the vast garden, providing the pleasure of autumn color display. Yes there’s fees required for the entry, and it also includes a cup of matcha tea. The tea is the sweetened instant type, which IMHO not worth the calorie. The garden is all that’s worth checking out.

Highly recommend visiting here after you've visited the bamboo forest. Very few of the crowd will pay to go in here, so it's far quieter. The gardens are lovely, there are great views and you receive a cup of matcha tea at the end!

1000yen entrance fee and you will experience a sceneric view, away from the crowded arashiyama grove. You will recieve a green tea coupon (i am not a fan of😬) for green tea lovers. Autumn season is perfect

As others have suggested, the garden is worth the steep entry price on its own merits, but the addition of matcha and a postcard did not hurt. With the strolling garden concept, you get to walk through several different little environments that are each beautiful in their own way. Already on 10/30/22 there were some good fall leaves and I'd expect it to be spectacular in a couple weeks.

My favorite garden that I visited in Japan. It was so peaceful and quiet but I might have lucked out since no one was around, which was a welcome change from the crowds everywhere else. The walk around the gardens was very meditative and what I was hoping to find. Wear a good pair of shoes, especially if it's raining. It is 1000 yen but it was worth it to me plus you get free green tea and a snack included.

We were completely amazed by this. Never seen such a beautiful garden. The entrance is 1000 yen per person and you got a free delicious green tea and also a typical japanese sweet. There wasn't a lot of tourists which allows you to relax and hear the nature while taking your walk. Visit this before leaving the bamboo forest you won't regret it.

Gorgeous garden with views of the surrounding mountains. This is a great stop after the bamboo grove, a peaceful quiet with no crowds. It costs 1,000 yen to enter, but it's very worth it. Takes about 30-45 minutes to walk around the full circuit of the gardens, and then you get matcha tea and a biscuit included in the price. There's an exhibit about the person who built the garden, unfortunately all in Japanese however.

Absolutely incredible. Never seen anyone rave about this place at all, costs 1000 yen gets you free drink at their traditional tea house and following the paths around to explore the garden and ending up on top of the hill overlooking some breathtaking views over Kyoto. Absolutely recommended!

Definitely great view. The landscaping is simply amazing. You feel like the garden was designed in a way that showed the best view / layout of landscaping. Simply amazing and strongly recommend :)

The entrance is 1000 yen, but in my opinion its worth it. The garden has nice colors in the autum season and we was there before lunch so few people. You get green tea included who you can enjoy in a peaceful cafe afterwards.

It was unbelievably beautiful. The view, the garden, the atmosphere... We were hesitant at first because the entrance is 1000 yen, but it is definitely worth it. Moreover, the entrance fee includes green tea and a tiny cookie. A must-see place.

This Japanese garden has been arranged by famous actor around 100 years ago. It goes on different levels of through steep pathways with rocks and offers views around the mountain. There is a temple, several buildings and also a tea house where you can have free tea based on your ticket

Entrance fee is 1000 yen, which includes refreshing matcha tea paired with a sweet pastry, a beautiful souvenir postcard, and unlimited (preferably) unhurried walks through winding footpaths of old recycled roof tiles, pebble beds, and natural stones amidst moss-covered grounds and trees with leaves starting to change color for autumn. Of course, our walks were interrupted by photo-ops before the shrine, inside the tea house and the courtyard dedicated to the owner (a famous period actor), beside a couple of cultural houses, and in front of a beautiful middle gate. It was quite a hike uphill but we were rewarded by an awesome view of Kyoto and the nearby mountains.

This garden was the highlight of our Kyoto trip in the Western area of the city. All other places were pretty much overrun with people, but this garden offered a much needed and appreciated peaceful environment. The paths are all one way, which means no other visitors should cross your path from the opposite direction. Lots of pretty photo spots and a surprising view from one of the hills inside the garden. The green tea included in the 1000 yen ticket price was also lovely, not too bitter, and a nice warm up on a cold day.

Entrance fee is 1000 yen which includes hot matcha and sweets (June 2023.) The garden is beautiful! It's a nice break from the crowds of Arashiyama bamboo grove.

¥1000 entry fee but worth it. The place is so peaceful. They provide a free green tea and biscuit which is so warming. Beautiful place of you want to go somewhere quiet

I'm so happy we chose to explore this garden! Entry was 1000 yen and included green tea at the teahouse. The gardens were beautiful and so much quieter than the bamboo forest with beautiful views of Kyoto .

A small garden that could be explored in half an hour. Beautiful tea house in the middle. A good way to escape from the tourist hords in the bamboo forest.

Ōkōchi Sansō (literally 'Okochi Mountain Villa') is the former home and garden of the Japanese jidaigeki (period film) actor Denjirō Ōkōchi in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Ōkōchi Sansō is situated on the slopes of Mt. Ogura behind Tenryūji Temple, next to Arashiyama Park and the Sagano bamboo grove in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto. The villa is open to the public for an admission fee and is renowned for its gardens and views of the Kyoto area. Several of the buildings are registered as cultural properties by the national government. Tea garden in front of the tekisuian: The villa's grounds encompass approximately 2 hectares and feature multiple buildings, including a Japanese-style home, tea houses, and shrines, amidst carefully maintained Japanese gardens. They were built up over a period of 30 years by Ōkōchi to function as one of his residences. The main structures were built in the 1930s and 1940s, except for the Jibutsudō, which is a Meiji Era building moved to this site. The gardens were designed to showcase each of the four seasons. Since the villa is atop a hill, the city of Kyoto, Mt. Hiei, and the Hozu River gorge are clearly visible from various points on the grounds.

Worth paying entry to see this beautiful garden. The autumn leaves and the view into the valley is gorgeous. You get a free 'matcha' tea included in the ticket price, but it was so sweet it just tasted of sugar unfortunately and was barely drinkable...

Not crowded. Amazing views. Green tea ticket is included with the 1000 yen entrance ticket. Did this on a rainy day and it was very enjoyable. Some of the best pictures of our whole trip!

Beautiful and peaceful place away from the crowd in the bamboo forest. The entrance fee includes a sweet and drink which you can choose to have before or after your walk around the garden. I’m sure this place is super popular during the fall for the colours. Will be back!

Incredible peaceful place. Beautiful paths through different parts of the gardens and forest. Stop at the tea house before leaving!

Full of wonderful red colors in November. The trail is quite long and goes uphill, sometimes you have to step from rock to rock. You get a nicely foamed matcha in the end, and a dry local treat.

Very beautiful garden and this is former residence of famous Japanese actor Denjiro Ōkōchi, he died in 1962, and it is great to save such a wonderful place for visitors from around the world!

It's a beautiful garden with great views of the city. Unfortunately the autumn leaves season here has ended. Almost every leaf has fallen. I can imagine how beautiful it will be at its peak. Date: 30/11/22

It's absolutely worth to visit. We joined the park shortly before closing and it was empty and peacfull. One matcha Cup is included and you can enjoy the trail on your own. There is not many to see beside some traditional houses and gardens. But it's a place with nice view and silent corners. To escape from the tourist crowds and take a breath in a nice atmosphere.

Truly hidden gem and valuable place where you should drop by. You can enjoy a magical view of Arashiyama along with a Maccha tea with a seasonal snack. Highly recommended.

Stumbled on this place during our walk among the bamboo groves. Definitely worth a visit - tranquil garden paths with beautiful shrubs, trees and moss surrounding temples and private residence. One of the most beautiful garden I’ve ever been in. The ticket also covers green tea that you can enjoy at the end of your visit.

Walk up through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, a beautifully serene stroll, turn right, stop at the ticket booth, and walk further up the road to find the Okochi Sanso villa and gardens. What a wonderful walk through trees, shrubs, flowers, past shrines, and up and down gently rolling hills with faraway views. The house itself was not open to visit, but the surrounding grounds are relaxing and rejuvenating. A couple of weeks later and we would have seen more color, but this walk is definitely worth your time. At the end of your brief journey, enjoy the hospitality of the tea room as you sit, rest, and reflect.

Totally worth the ¥1,000 Yen for the sights, it also includes some green tea (which is more like a matcha) and a small pastry. Quiet place, come early to get good pictures and for it to be less crowded.

There's a small room near the tea area which has it's own private gravel raking and a deck for view. There's table, paper, brush and a bit sad elegy to practice calligraphy in front of a small temple