Formerly the building here was the hut of Mukai Kyorai, the best-known disciple of the illustrious haiku poet Bashō. You can wander the small garden where you'll find stones engraved with poems, including one with a haiku by Bashō, and take a peek inside the rooms of the cottage.

Legend holds that Kyorai dubbed the house Rakushisha (literally, ‘House of the Fallen Persimmons’) after he woke one morning following a fierce storm to find the persimmons he had planned to sell were all fallen from the trees in the garden and scattered on the ground.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Jōjakkō-ji

0.15 MILES

This temple is perched on top of a mossy knoll and is famed for its brilliant maple trees, which turn a lovely crimson red in November, and its thatched…

2. Nison-in

0.19 MILES

This is a popular spot with maple-leaf watchers. Originally built in the 9th century by Emperor Saga, the temple houses two important Kamakura-era Buddha…

3. Nonomiya-jinja

0.26 MILES

This small shrine is where imperial princesses were sent for purification before serving at the Ise shrine. It features in the famous Japanese novel The…

4. Tenryū-ji North Gate

0.26 MILES

By exiting Tenryū-ji via this gate and taking a quick left, you'll find yourself almost immediately in the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

5. Seiryō-ji

0.27 MILES

This local temple and its peaceful gardens makes for a quiet change from the touristy temples along the main drag. It has an important standing wooden…

6. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

0.27 MILES

The thick green bamboo stalks seem to continue endlessly in every direction and there’s a strange quality to the light at this famous bamboo grove, which…

7. Ōkōchi Sansō

0.29 MILES

This is the lavish estate of Ōkōchi Denjirō, an actor famous for his samurai films. The sprawling gardens may well be the most lovely in all of Kyoto,…

8. Giō-ji

0.3 MILES

This tiny temple near the north end of the main Arashiyama sightseeing route is one of Kyoto's hidden gems. Its main attraction is the lush moss garden…