有名な私学には全国から秀才たちを集めた所もあったが、松下村塾「山口県」の塾生は近所に住むごく普通の少年達が、維新で活躍した。
その一人「山形有朋」
同じ塾の仲間、久坂玄瑞・・京都に派遣された際、知り合う
また、松下村塾の近所に伊藤博文が住んでいた。いなかったら、初代内閣総理大臣の名前も変わっていたし、第一伊藤内閣で山形有朋は内務大臣2度入閣
そんな山形有朋の京都に造園された別荘・・明治から大正時代、京都南禅寺、唯一通年公開されている日本庭園に今年の1月足を運んだ。
”無鄰菴”（ムリンアン）・・ここはあなたのお庭です。
里山の風景や小川が、そのもののような流れをもつ自然のお庭、茶屋から、変化に富んだ景色、奥行きの表現、飽きない！
京都に足を運んだ際に行って下さい。


Japan had many famous private schools that attracted brilliant minds from all over the country.
Among them, the boys who studied at the "Shokasonjuku" in Yamaguchi Prefecture, later grew into figures who shaped history during the Meiji Restoration, a major turning point in Japanese history.
One of them was Aritomo Yamagata .
He and Genzui Kusaka, who studied at the same school, later shared the same aspirations in Kyoto and acted together amidst the turbulent times.
Also at the same Shokasonjuku was Hirobumi Ito, who would later become Japan's first Prime Minister.
If they had not met at this place, the course of modern Japanese history might have been slightly different.

The villa garden built by Aritomo Yamagata near Nanzen-ji Temple in Kyoto is called "Murin-an."
Among the gardens associated with Yamagata, this is a precious Japanese garden that is still open to the public year-round, and I visited it this past January.
"This is your garden"—that's the kind of phrase that suits this place.
The garden, imbued with the aesthetic sensibilities of the late Edo period through the Meiji and Taisho eras, features gentle undulations reminiscent of a rural landscape, a stream flowing like a natural mountain breeze, and a varied view from the tea house.

The scenery, which changes its expression depending on where you view it from and gives a sense of depth, is truly wonderful, and you'll want to gaze at it forever.
If you have the opportunity to visit Kyoto, this is one place I highly recommend you visit.