there’s a single stem-
I thought-of chrysanthemum, yet
at Ōsawa
pond, within there is another;
who planted it, I wonder?

ひともとと
思ひし菊を
大沢の
池の底にも
誰か植ゑけむ

Ki-no-Tomonori's (紀友則 850-904) well-known poem references Ōsawa's famed chrysanthemum.
#大覚寺 #Kyoto

Designed by the court painter Kose-no-Kanaoka (巨勢金岡) or possibly the artist Kudara-no-Kawanari (百済河成 782-853), the pond was inspired by Dongting Lake (洞庭湖) in China.

The entire gardens were landscaped to be enjoyed from boats on the pond.

Ōsawa-no-ike was most probably dug some time from 814, when Emperor Saga (嵯峨天皇 786-842) began work on a sprawling palace that would act as his seat of power in retirement.

The pond was part of "Saga-in's" (離宮嵯峨院) vast garden, intended primarily as a boating lake.