14 Years to Complete
The names Kenrokuen in Kanagawa, Korakuen in Okayama, and Kairakuen in Mito may ring a bell for many. Yes, they are the “three most outstanding gardens” in Japan. Okayama city is the home of one of the gardens, Korakuen.
Korakuen was made by the 2nd lord of the Okayama clan Tsunamasa Ikeda. It took 14 years.
Korakuen was built so that the view of the garden could be enjoyed for relaxation purposes from Enyotei, the sitting room for the clan lord, and the Japanese-style guest rooms in the buildings placed within the garden.
Walking Through the Garden
But Tsunamasa’s son Tsugumasa built Yuishinzan in the center of the garden, and made water pathways and ponds. This created a three-dimensional landscape, and added to the joy of strolling through the garden. The garden was transformed from a still garden to one with movement. Other changes were adapted, according to the taste of clan lords and social circumstances, and it is interesting to see how history is reflected in the garden. The changes are explained in Korakuen’s official website, so we recommend you check the website prior to your visit.
Korakuen is located on the other side of Okayama Castle with Asahikawa River which runs through the city in between. One of the characteristics of Korakuen is the borrowed landscape making use of Okayama Castle and surrounding mountains.
Even to this day, there are restrictions on the height of buildings which can be seen from Enyotei, preserving the beauty of the borrowed landscape as much as possible.
