Toward the end of the Heian Period (794-1185), the retired Emperor Shirakawa built a majestic villa (Jonan Rikyu/Toba Rikyu) at this scenic location which lay along one of the major transportation routes into and out of the capital. Once he began to rule here in retirement, poetry-composition gatherings and banquets, and boating and equestrian events were frequently held, and the elegant culture of the court and nobles came into flower. Also, there developed the custom for those who were preparing to make a pilgrimage to Kumano to set off by purifying themselves at Jonan Rikyu, in prayer for safety along the way, and this gave rise to the belief that prayers offered here would protect one from natural disasters and assure safety during travels. The sacred garden, named Rakusuien (“comfortable waters garden”) , that surrounds the elegant shrine buildings is composed of five different gardens. Starting from the manmade “Spring Hill” of the Jonan Rikyu, there is the Heian Garden, where the poetry event called Kyokusui-no-utage takes place; the Muromachi Garden, with its tasteful pond-edge rock arrangement; the Momoyama Garden, featuring beautiful trimmed bushes; and then the dry landscape Jonan Rikyu Garden. One can flavor the characteristics and atmosphere of these gardens that represent the various historical periods. In addition, more than one hundred varieties of plants that give literary color to the “Tale of Genji” have been planted and cultivated here and there, and so the entire shrine garden is known as “The flower garden of the Tale of Genji”. Seeing the plants glowing in the sunlight and swaying in the breeze, one can sense the grace of the Heian era, and the refined spirit of the nature-loving people of Japan.