The area of Toba located in the south of the city of Heian-kyo (the ancient capital of Japan in current Kyoto) is situated where the Katsura-gawa River and the Kamo-gawa River converge and was an important center of transportation as well as being an area of natural beauty (the original route of the Kamo-gawa river lied further to the east than it is today, and Toba Rikyu was situated on the land between the Katsura-gawa River and the Kamo-gawa River).
平安京の南に位置する鳥羽の地は桂川と鴨川の合流点にあたり、交通の要衝であるとともに風光明媚な土地でもあった（当時の鴨川の流路は現在よりもずっと東寄りであり、鳥羽離宮は桂川と鴨川に挟まれた土地に位置していた）。