At the foot of the Takamine Sanzan mountain range in Rakuhoku, there is a settlement called Shakadani. A pond that suddenly appears in a lush hollow forest adjacent to a residential area is currently marked on maps as "Shinike" (New Pond), but it is quietly filled with water, as if it has been there since ancient times, and occasionally, groundwater wells up from the bottom of the pond, 5 meters deep, creating ripples. The pond's shores are a delight to the eyes with cherry blossoms and mountain azaleas in spring, yellow irises in early summer, and autumn leaves in autumn, and in winter,

Teal and herons flutter down, and the ferns covering the cliffs keep their blue-green leaves lush all year round. We have named the naturally rich area surrounding the pond "Garden of Light," and we hope to preserve the environment sustainably, share its value with everyone, and create a place for creativity and interaction.

To help you understand why I came to this conclusion, I will tell you a little story about the pond.

Sacred Pond

Since the Heian period, the area around the pond has provided fodder for the imperial horses of successive emperors, and was a place where aristocrats enjoyed hunting and falconry. There is also an anecdote that a hermit riding a white horse descended upon the mysterious, misty pond. This "White Horse Pond" disappeared during the Edo period, but was dug up again in the Meiji period and used as an irrigation pond for agricultural purposes. This pond is called "Shinike" and remains so to this day.

Healing Garden

The mountain located just northeast of Shinike Pond has been called Yakushiyama since Saicho enshrined the Medicine Buddha on the mountain. It was a place protected by the Buddha who heals illnesses and brings health to both body and mind. Records also show that Noma Ikaku, an official physician of the early Edo period, cultivated medicinal herbs on Yakushiyama, and his mausoleum remains to the south of Shinike Pond. Also around the same time, Fujibayashi Dojutsunahisa, an official physician of the Imperial Court, built a temple called Takayama, about 1 km south of Shinike Pond.

The "Mt. Ikeda Imperial Medicinal Garden" was established here and managed by nine generations of farmers until the Meiji era. This area has been at the forefront of medical science since ancient times.

Art Village

In the early modern period, Honami Koetsu, an artist with a keen eye for swords, calligraphy, and lacquerware and ceramics, was bestowed the land of Takagamine by the shogunate, and he moved there with his family and other artisans to open an art village. Under Koetsu's role as art producer, artisans, cultural figures, and townspeople from various fields came together to produce handicrafts, calligraphy, and paintings that later came to be known as the Rinpa school. Collaboration in the creation of beautiful things, creativity

This was a communal utopia. Koetsuji Temple, the site of Koetsu's residence, is located on the south side of Shinike Pond, about a 10-minute walk away.

House of Learning

Entering the Showa period, the area around Shinike was developed on a large scale by businessman Hanagaki Taishin, resulting in the creation of Shakadani Manor. In addition to offering villas for sale and farmland for rent, Shakadani Manor also housed a training center called Taishin Gaku, where people could learn practical ways of living. This area was once a kind of community salon where people could gather, work hard in the fields, learn, and release their sorrows. Furthermore, Joshoji Temple, adjacent to the south of Shinike, is one of Kyoto's Rokudanrin temples, and was once a place of learning where hundreds of Nichiren monks lived and trained.

The future of the Garden of Light

As we unravel this history, we cannot help but sense that this pond and its surrounding area are not simply scenic; it is a special place where the energy of the mountains and water has flowed and circulated since ancient times, and where people have shared in that energy, playing in nature, sometimes feeling a spiritual aura, healing their bodies and minds, creating art, and learning together. Water is the source of all things. Water trickles down the mountainside, flows into this pond from three directions, and even incorporates groundwater that wells up from the earth, eventually flowing into the Kamo River. When we gaze upon the shining, mirror-like surface of the water, we hope that this precious environment will be passed down to future generations without being destroyed, and that it will become a hub for cultural activities and conversation, reflecting its sparkling wisdom and beauty to the people and society around it.