The place of Katsura was known for the court noble's villas from olden days, and there used to be a villa belonging to FUJIWARA no Michinaga (it was called Betsugyo at that time instead of Besso, both mean villa) in the same place during the Heian period.
桂の地は、古くから貴族の別荘地として知られ、平安時代には藤原道長の別荘（当時は「別業」といった）が営まれていたという。