A Symphony of Colors — The Okochi Sanso Villa in Arashiyama

The Okochi-Sanso Villa features beautiful landscaping, fantastic aerial and mountain views, a touch of the contemporary films, and the exceptional life of a Japanese actor.


Most of the structures at the Okochi-Sanso Villa were built over a period of 30 years in the early 20th century. Nestled in the ridges on the south side of Mount Ogura, the estate is part of the legacy of the famous actor Denjiro Okochi. He extended significant effort in building the landscapes that reflect his philosophy in nature as part of his Buddhist faith. After he passed away in 1962, his spouse continued to manage the estate, but eventually decided to open it for visits by the public. It remains a private property managed by the family.


The Okochi-Sanso Villa in Arashiyama is the former home of Japanese actor Denjiro Okochi. Born Masuo Obe in 1898, Denjiro was born into a family of physicians. He started training at the Shinkokugeki (New National Theater) and studied acting. He was known for the jidaigeki (period drama) genre, which featured sword fights and sword plays. Eventually, Denjiro Okochi became famous in the chanbara (sword-fighting) samurai films. Denjiro Okochi rose to the peak of his acting career in the 1920’s silent films, until he ceased acting in 1961. He passed away the following year.

In my opinion, if you have limited time in Arashiyama, there are three sites that are must-see. First is definitely the bamboo grove, then the Tenryu-ji Temple and finally the Okochi Sanso Villa.


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Post by Helen Yu (Chestnut Journal) | Feb 4, 2025