“Genkyu-en Garden” is the Chisen-kaiyushiki-teien style (a stroke-style garden around a big pond) located on the northern side of Hikone Castle and is designated as the scenic spot of the country. It is a garden that tells the garden of the early Edo period to the present, comparable to the detached palace of Emperor Xuanzong in China Tang Dynasty. In autumn Japanese maple gets dyed red and you can enjoy autumn leaves.
There is a Genkyu-en Garden before leaving “Kuro-mon” (Black Gate) on the opposite side of the main gate of Hikone castle. There is a place where “sounds of insects are heard” in September every year and in November “the splendor and colore of autumn Genkyuen light up” is held.
There are many flowers and ponds in Genkyuen, so you can fully enjoy the Japanese garden. There are nine bridges in the garden and you can see the landscape with change. Depending on the location, there are places where the buildings and scenery are reflected in the pond and look beautiful.
In 1677, Naooki Ii of the Hikone clan ‘s fourth generation lord is said to have built the Eight Views of Omi, drawing the water of Lake Biwa and comparing it to Eight Views of Xiaoxiang. Islands and coves are arranged, and in “Hoshodai” you can enjoy the scenery while resting with matcha and sweets. In the park, the autumnal leaves spread the red branches, making the vividness stand out against the background of the castle white walls and other trees.
In the light-up to be held in autumn, you can see the tower of Hikone castle and autumn leaves reflected on the dark water surface of the pond in the center of the park. It is a reputation that autumn trees that change color red and yellow and green are elegant. Moreover, even in the daytime other than the autumn leaves season such as spring and summer, it is possible to see the beautiful scenery where the green in the garden is reflected on the water surface.
Daimyo garden under Hikone Castle
The Genkyu-en Garden is a daimyo garden under Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture. The original form is the garden which Naooki II who was the 4th lord of the Hikone Domain maintained in early stage of 1678 in the Edo era. It is said that the form near the present was arranged again as a retired person’s mansion of Naonaka Ii, who was the eleventh feudal lord, in 1813 in the late Edo period.
Specified as the scenic spot of the country
Originally the “Genkyu-en” was named for the “Rakuraku-en” of the palace portion, but it is not sure when this name came to be used from.
In addition, the Genkyu-en garden is specified as the scenic spot of the country as the “Genkyu Rakuraku-en” with the Rakuraku-en.
The scenery to face over Hakkeitei is beautiful
The Genkyu-en garden is chisen-kaiyushiki style garden (a type of Japanese garden with a pond in the centre) full of the changes with Nakajima of four big and small island, nine bridges around very large Gyoyakusho (pond). The Hikone Castle main tower becomes Shakkei (the making use of the surrounding landscape in the design of a garden), and the scenery to face over Hakkeitei, which built in the ‘sukiyazukuri’ architectural style (an architectural style based on the style of a Japanese tea ceremony building), is beautiful.
“Genkyu-en lighting of autumn” is held in September every year
A sight every season can be enjoyed against the background of the main tower of the national treasure. The scent of a flower wraps in the season of early summer when the flower of the lotus and Japanese iris, which appear on the pond, blooms inside the garden. Moreover, powdered green tea can be enjoyed in Hoshodai in Tsukiyama (an artificial hill). “The party to hear the sound of an insect” is held in November, and “Genkyu-en lighting of autumn” is held in September every year, and many people will visit.
A time which settles down the heart
Relaxing while drinking tea in Hakkeitei which can look around the garden, A time which settles down the heart can be enjoyed.
Information(Access, Price/Charge, Tel, Address, Official site, etc.)
Name: | Genkyu-en Garden |
Address: | Konkicho Hikone, Shiga 522-0061 Japan |
Access: | JR Tokaido-honsen Line “Hikone-eki” station (12 minutes walk) |
Tel: | (+81) 749-22-2742 |
Price: | 200 yen (Adults) 100 yen (Elementary & Junior High Students) Please refer the official web page. |
Official site: | http://www.hikoneshi.com/ |
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