Takasegawa Nijōen

Takasegawa Nijōen is a Japanese garden and restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, operated as "Ganko Takasegawa Nijōen" by the restaurant chain Ganko Food Service Co., Ltd. The site is located along the Takasegawa canal in Nakagyō ward, Kyoto, near Kyōto Shiyakusho-mae Station and Sanjō Station. The garden is also known as Takasegawa Genryū Teien (Takasegawa Source Garden). The garden's origins date to 1611, when the wealthy merchant Suminokura Ryōi, who engineered the excavation of the Takasegawa canal, built a villa at its source. A tea garden attributed to the early Edo-period master Kobori Enshū survives within the grounds. In the Meiji era, the statesman Yamagata Aritomo built a villa here called the Second Murin-an, and the garden was renovated by Ogawa Jihei, the gardener who also created Murin-an. Later owners of villas on the site included Kawata Koichirō, president of the Bank of Japan. Today the property functions as a Japanese restaurant. Its menu centers on kaiseki course cuisine, sushi made with carefully selected tuna and market-fresh seafood, and its own private-label sake, "Ganko Ittetsu." The restaurant offers private rooms overlooking the garden, including tatami and table seating, and can host banquets of up to 120 seated guests. It also features kawadoko dining over the Takasegawa canal. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 with no regular closing days.

The site of Takasegawa Nijōen dates to 1611, when Suminokura Ryōi, the wealthy merchant who excavated the Takasegawa canal, built a villa at the canal's source. The garden that developed there is also called Takasegawa Genryū Teien. Within the grounds, a tea garden created in the early Edo period by the tea master and garden designer Kobori Enshū still survives. In the Meiji era, the statesman Yamagata Aritomo built a villa on the site known as the Second Murin-an (Dai-ni Murin-an). At that time the garden was renovated by Ogawa Jihei, the gardener who also designed Murin-an, giving it its present form. After Yamagata, figures including Kawata Koichirō, president of the Bank of Japan, maintained villas on the property. In the modern era the property became the Japanese restaurant "Ganko Takasegawa Nijōen," operated by Ganko Food Service Co., Ltd. The restaurant serves kaiseki course cuisine and sushi, and offers private rooms with garden views. It also produces its own sake, "Ganko Ittetsu," intended to pair with its cuisine. The garden retains features such as the Tora-ishi (tiger stone), the tagasode tsukubai, a tea house, sazare-ishi, the Enshū tea garden, a single-rock waterfall, a bake-dōrō lantern, and an Azumaya-style lantern described as the largest in Japan.

• 1611

  Suminokura Ryōi, excavator of the Takasegawa canal, builds a villa at its source, the origin of the garden.

• A tea garden attributed to Kobori Enshū is created in the early Edo period and survives today.

• In the Meiji era, Yamagata Aritomo builds the Second Murin-an villa on the site.

• The garden is renovated by Ogawa Jihei, gardener of Murin-an, giving it its present form.

• After Yamagata, Bank of Japan president Kawata Koichirō and others maintain villas on the property.

• The property becomes the Japanese restaurant "Ganko Takasegawa Nijōen," operated by Ganko Food Service.

A historic garden estate restaurant offering traditional Japanese kaiseki and sushi in an upscale, refined Japanese setting, operated by the Ganko chain.

• Kaiseki course cuisine

  Seasonal kaiseki courses using market-fresh ingredients, chef technique, and secret dashi.

• Sushi

  Sushi made with selected hon-maguro and market-fresh seafood, hand-pressed by skilled chefs.

• Kobe beef sukiyaki kaiseki

  A special kaiseki course featuring Kobe beef sukiyaki, priced at 12,500 yen (tax included) per person.

• Ganko Ittetsu sake

  The restaurant's private-label sake, with rich aroma, clean taste, and deep umami.

• Kawadoko dining

  Dining on platforms over the Takasegawa canal, offered at night and at lunch.

1. 1和食・懐石 がんこ 高瀬川二条苑 - お屋敷と個室 懐石料理gu-takasegawa.gorp.jp
2. 2高瀬川二条苑 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Takasegawa Nijōen - Wikidatawikidata.org