Sento Imperial Palace is located on the southeast side of Kyoto Imperial Palace in the Kyoto Gyoen. Kyoto Imperial Palace was the residence or office for the emperor whereas Sento Imperial Palace was that for retired emperor called “JOKO” or “IN”. This Palace was built for GOMIZUO-JOKO during the early Edo period.
This is the main gate. Many policemen were watching the visitors.
The northwest area of Sento Imperial Palace is called “Omiya Imperial Palace”. Omiya Imperial Palace is for queen’s mother.
This building is called OTSUNEGOTEN and was built for the queen’s mother EISHO in 1867. But after she moved to Tokyo in 1872, it has been used as a guesthouse. Prince Charles and Princess Diana have once stayed here.
Let’s see another side of OTSUNEGOTEN.
The interior design of this building was changed in Western style during Taisho period. In this garden, there are apricot trees, pine trees and bamboo so it is called SHOCHIKUBAI Garden. The trees in this picture are apricot trees. The big one in the center is red-flowered apricot and the small one in the right side is white-flowered apricot. In past days they were same in size. But the white-flowered apricot died because of the continuous extreme heat 4 years ago. The present tree was transplanted from Katsura Detached Palace. This is why the white-flowered tree is smaller.
Passing through next gate, we can see a big circuit style garden. The pond in Sento Imperial Palace is divided into two parts by MOMIJIBASHI Bridge. This is KITAIKE Pond located on the north side.
The scenery of tender green is very beautiful.
Walking along the road around the KITAIKE Pond, we can see MOMIJIBASHI Bridge.
Vivid green maple leaves are very beautiful. This is MINAMIIKE Pond located on the south side.
There are beautiful Iris laevigata(KAKITSUBATA in Japanese).
The guide explained the difference between KAKITSUBATA and Iris sanguinea (AYAME in Japanese). AYAME has mesh design on its petal. On the other hand, KAKITSUBATA has only a single white line on its petal.
We can see the SOSHIARAI-Stone over the pond. The guide told a story about this stone.
During the Heian period, there lived a very beautiful girl named ONONO-KOMACHI. One day, Waka poem contest was held in the Imperial court and she was supposed to participate in it. On the eve of the contest her opponent OOTOMONO-KURONUSHI thought that he had little chance of winning, he sneaked into her room and eavesdropped the Waka poem that she was going to present next day. Then he added her Waka poem into MAN’YOSHU, the old anthology of Waka poem. Next day the contest was held. After KOMACHI’s presentation KURONUSHI appealed. “That poem is in MAN’YOSHU!” said KURONUSHI. And he exhibit MAN’YOSHU falsified by himself. But her waka poem disappeared from the MAN’YOSHU when she washed it in the pond. This made it clear that KURONUSHI had falsified the MAN’YOSHU. SOSHIARAI-Stone is just the stone that KOMACHI washed it on.
However, there is a question. The pond in this garden was made during Edo period. How could KOMACHI wash MAN’YOSHU in this pond 1000 years before !
There is an islet in the middle of MINAMIIKE Pond. The stone bridge to here is called YATSUHASHI.
This is a zigzag bridge. The guide says there’s no idea why it is called YSTSUHASHI but it is clear that it means nothing to the famous confection in Kyoto.
This is SUHAMA ,wave-washed beach. In SUHAMA about 111 thousand oval flat stones are used. And that those stones are close to the same in size. These stones were so precious that they traded at 1.8 liter of rice per a stone.
This building is a tea room named SEIKATEI. It provides a wonderful view of the garden.
The last of the tour route is a tea room named YUSHINTEI that was donated by KONOE Family in 1884.
It features its thatched roof and big round window. This is the end of the tour. We make our exit from the main gate.
The amount of time for this tour is approximately one hour. One tour consisted of about 30 participants. We will get a strong warning if we step upon the moss, but except that there are few sightseeing rules and we can take pictures freely. However, an officer of Imperial Household Agency followed us and always watched our behavior.
The Sento Imperial Palace seeing tour is open to everyone for free but it requires a prior application. Online application is available but the allocation for online application is very tight and is booked up soon. But even if it is fully booked up on the online application, you still have a chance of booking it by going to the office of Imperial Palace directly and consulting. Why don’t you try to visit?