The garden at Nanzen-in is a typical pond garden of the late Kamakura period (1185-1333), the oldest in Kyoto, and is designated as a national historic site and a place of scenic beauty. The upper pond, called Sogen-ike, is shaped like a dragon with Horai-jima in the center and Shinji-jima in the lower pond. Surrounded by deep woods, the garden has an ethereal and tranquil atmosphere. The garden is said to have been created by Emperor Kameyama himself or by Soseki Muso.