[Music] in the ancient capital Kyoto stands one of the crown jewels of Japanese architecture the Katsura imperial villa today we introduce its buildings and gardens examining the aesthetic principles that underlie their harmonious beauty the cancer our imperial villa stands close to the Katsura river which flows through western Kelton the grounds cover a total area of around 58,000 square meters the gardens are surrounded by woods with a large pond at the center most of the buildings overlook the water at the heart of the complex stands the villas main group of buildings known as the showing buildings they're laid out in a zig-zag pattern the white walls and dark wood pillars create a powerful contrast [Music] the german architect bruno count who stayed in japan during the 1930s praised the Katsura imperial villa in the highest terms he called it unique and incomparable the quintessence of Japanese beauty the interiors were there wooden columns and fulsome screens covered with paper exemplify the understated beauty of traditional Japanese architecture the floors are covered with tatami mats made of woven Rusch the screens can be slid open transforming the interior into larger spaces most traditional Japanese buildings are designed so that nature can be brought into the interiors opening the Shoji and for summer screens also allows daylight to illuminate the rooms this window has an arched lintel the wooden panel under the window can be removed to allow cool breezes into the room during the summer months when the Shoji screens are opened the fresh green of a garden is revealed in autumn the reddish hues of the turning leaves are framed in the same window this is a building that allows unobstructed vistas of the changing seasons the buildings of the Katsura imperial villa may appear plain to the untrained eye but in fact they're built from premium materials that have been worked with exceptional craftsmanship one example of this is the overlapping wooden shingles on the roof of the showing buildings the subtle curvature of the roofs is the product of highly sophisticated artists and skills the interiors of the cats are imperial villa display a similar level of expertise the walls and fulsome screens are covered in washi paper stenciled with beautiful patterns [Music] the wood used for the construction of the villa was also selected from the finest timber [Music] cryptomeria Seder of the quality used in the Katsura imperial villa is astoundingly rare logs like these are obtained from fewer than 1 in 10,000 trees [Music] the grounds of the federal-aid out as a stroll garvey offering a series of vistas as you wander around the perimeter of the pond its intended to convey in microcosm the beauty of nature in Japan around 1800 stepping-stones are carefully placed around the garden these stones gathered from many parts of Japan guide you on your circuit of the garden each has been placed so that its shape and color are displayed to their finest forming the center of the garden is extensive pond with rocks jutting out and trees placed as if at random there's nothing to indicate that this garden was laid out by design throughout it evokes vistas of mountains and sea Shores the Katsura imperial villa exhibits a refined understated beauty that makes it a masterpiece of Japanese architecture you