Muku Tree of the Shimizudani Residence

A living witness to history towering over the garden path

This tree has been selected as one of the most notable trees within Kyoto Gyoen National Garden for historical reasons. Said to be 300 years old, the stately tree is also believed to have grown in the grounds of the Shimizudani residence, which belonged to a distinguished family of waka (tanka) poets. Watching the court nobles from this area was a highlight of sightseeing in Kyoto for commoners during the Edo period (1603–1867). There was even a teahouse nearby called Higaki Chaya, named after a famous poet.