About National Historic Site,
The Former Retreat of Tomomi Iwakura
Tomomi Iwakura was a prominent politician of the late nineteenth century who worked hard in support of restoring Japan's monarchy during the Meiji Restoration.
He was born in 1825 as the second son of Yasuchika Horikawa, a low-ranking courtier, but was adopted by leading court noble Tomoyasu Iwakura in 1838. In 1854, he became chamberlain to Emperor Komei, and gradually rose to a position of influence in the imperial court.
To strengthen Japan, he supported allying the shogunate, Japan's warrior-led government, to the imperial court by marrying Emperor Komei's younger sister Princess Kazu-no-miya to Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi. As a result, he was labeled a shogunate supporter by advocates of imperial rule, some of whom plotted against Iwakura's life.
In 1862, he was forced to resign from the imperial court and go into hiding in northern Kyoto's Iwakura Village until 1867.
Iwakura Tomomi:
One of the Ten Heroes of the Meiji Restoration
Iwakura Tomomi was a nobleman and politician active during Japan's transition toward becoming a modern nation during the late nineteenth century.
Introducing The Former Retreat of Tomomi Iwakura's Designated Management Company
Ueyakato Landscape, Co., Ltd.
Ever since its establishment in 1848, Kyoto landscaping firm Ueyakato Landscape has nurtured the gardens of Nanzen-ji Temple as its dedicated gardening company. Today we provide garden management and garden creation for such as Nanzen-ji Temple, Hongan-ji Temple, and Chishaku-in Templewhich are designated as places of historic importance gardens as well as Murin-an and other private garden villas in the Nanzen-ji Temple neighborhood. Under Kyoto Prefecture's Designated Manager System, we also manage and operate Keihanna Commemorative Park. We strive to integrate the onsite garden management with research, and other administrative aspects of landscape gardening.
Information
Hours
9:00 a.m. ~ 5:00 p.m.
* Last admission is 30 minutes before the closing time.
Holidays
Every Wednesday (if a holiday, open and closed the following weekday)
New Year's holiday (December 29th ~ January 3rd)
Admission
Adults …………………… 400 yen
Jr. high and high school students (including vocational high schools) … 200 yen
Elementary school students …………100 yen
In accordance with revisions made to the Ordinance for Kyoto City's Areas, the Entry fee for "The Former Retreat of Tomomi Iwakura" will be raised to 400 yen starting on October 1, 2019.
Contact
The Former Retreat of Tomomi Iwakura
100 Agura-cho, Iwakura, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0017
TEL & FAX: +81-75-781-7984 (from abroad)
TEL & FAX: 075-781-7984 (within Japan)
Access
Car: there is no parking lot nearby. Please use the parking lot at the Kyoto International Conference Center (fee), then use the Kyoto Bus.
Subway: take the Kyoto Subway Karasuma Line and get off at the Kyoto International Conference Center. Transfer to the Kyoto Bus #24 and get-off at the final stop "Iwakura Jissoin" then walk south 3 minutes.
Hankyu/Keihan Railway: from the Hankyu Railway "Kawaramachi Station," Keihan Railway "Sanjo Station," or "Demachiyanagi Station" please take the Kyoto Bus #21 or #23 and get-off at the last stop "Iwakura Jissoin," then walk south 3 minutes.
Eizan Railway: from the Eizan Railway "Iwakura Station" walk about 1.4km north (approx. 20 minutes) or take the Kyoto Bus #21, #23, #24 and get-off at "Iwakura Jissoin," then walk south 3 minutes.