Okazaki, at the Foot of the Higashiyama Mountains in Kyoto, and Loved by Noted Personages since the Heian Period

Okazaki is a temple town that has flourished since the blooming of Japanese national culture during the Heian period (794 - 1185). It is a place of great scenic beauty, famous temples, shrines, and historical sites.
The neighborhood of Okazaki Tsuruya includes many temples, boasting the glory of the Shirakawain. The area also featured many mansions that belonged to the wealthy of Kansai and took the Higashiyama mountains as the backdrop for their gardens, not least of which was the "Murin-an" villa that belonged to Meiji period statesman Arimoto Yamagata. Many of these villas are still standing today. It truly feels like a place to explore the inner parlor of the city, a quiet area for villas and second homes, and also includes the Philosopher's Walk that allows you to enjoy the greenery of these great houses alongside the flow of canals from Lake Biwa.