Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum

**★★★★★ Anna Krzak — 2 months ago

Isuien is one of Nara’s most refined strolling gardens, remarkable for its use of shakkei (“borrowed scenery”). The garden frames views of Mt. Wakakusa and the Great South Gate of Tōdaiji so naturally that the surrounding landscape becomes part of the design itself. This visual layering is intentional and dates back to the Edo period, when the garden was reconstructed by a wealthy Nara merchant who sought to create an idealized miniature landscape.