Rin'un-tei

Shugakuin Imperial Villa is a hillside retreat built in 1659 by Retired Emperor Go-Mizunoo at the foot of Mount Hiei, made up of Upper, Middle and Lower villas. It is famous for borrowing the surrounding hills and rice fields into its scenery. Rin'un-tei, at the highest point of the Upper Villa, is a building made for taking in the view.

According to the Agency, a building stood here even before the villa's main construction; after burning in 1678 it was rebuilt the next year and used by Retired Emperor Reigen, but later seems to have been lost again. The present single-storey wooden building with a shingle roof was rebuilt in 1824 for a visit by Retired Emperor Kōkaku.

From here one looks down on Yokuryū Pond and over the city of Kyoto to the northern hills, and on clear days as far as the Western Hills — the villa's signature view.