Kenrokuen

A historical and cultural heritage reflecting the culture of Kaga, a domain worth one million koku (a unit of rice production), Kenrokuen Garden is one of Japan's three most famous gardens, alongside Kairakuen Garden in Mito and Korakuen Garden in Okayama. As a representative daimyo garden of the Edo period, Kenrokuen was shaped over many years by successive lords of the Kaga domain. Located in the heart of Kanazawa City, it is a garden where visitors can enjoy the beauty of the four seasons, and is beloved by many residents of Kanazawa Prefecture and tourists from around the world. A strolling garden with ponds, artificial hills, and pavilions spread across a vast area, Kenrokuen Garden is a comprehensive garden created by incorporating elements of the ""stroll garden"" while also utilizing gardening techniques from various eras. A strolling garden is not a seated garden enjoyed from a temple's abbot's quarters or a palace's study, but rather a garden that maximizes the use of the land's area, creating a large pond, artificial hills, and scattered pavilions and teahouses, allowing visitors to stroll through the entire garden while stopping at these features. With numerous ponds connected by winding streams, hills built from excavated earth, and a variety of trees planted, it is also called a ""hill, pond, and strolling garden."" A reflection of the wishes for prosperity held by successive feudal lords Kenrokuen Garden was shaped over many years by successive lords of the Kaga domain, but the basic philosophy behind its design seems to have remained consistent. That philosophy is the concept of immortals. A large pond is dug to represent the ocean, and an island said to be inhabited by immortal immortals is placed within it. The feudal lords projected their desires for longevity and eternal prosperity onto the garden. The first garden designer, the 5th lord (unnecessary: ​​feudal lord) Tsunanori, created three mythical islands—Horai, Hojo, and Eishu—in Hyotan Pond. The 13th lord (unnecessary: ​​feudal lord) Nariyasu also added Horai Island to Kasumigaike Pond. The garden displays beauty throughout the seasons, from cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves to snow-covered trees in winter, offering a magnificent view no matter when you visit. Such as the ""Kotoji Lantern"" and the snow-covered ""Karasaki Pine"" are surely familiar sights seen on television or in magazines. The garden is full of other beautiful and interesting scenic spots. Kenrokuen Garden is truly at the heart of Kanazawa, a ""tourist city"" with many historical sites, and it is a magnificent garden that you will want to visit not just once, but two or three times. For tourists visiting Kanazawa, we recommend exploring Kenrokuen Garden and the surrounding tourist attractions.