KÅraku-en
The Koraku -en (Japanese后 楽 园) in the city of Okayama is the Kairaku -en and the Kenroku -en one of the three famous gardens in Japan (Nihon sanmeien ).
Survey
Prince Ikeda Tsunamasa (1638-1714) decided in 1686 a garden in front of his castle on the other side of the river to create Asahigawa to apply, who was then 14 years later, in 1700, completed. First, the garden was simply called Kōen because first the great tea house was built, and only then the garden. Since 1871, the garden Koraku -en is called, zen'yū after the second half of an ancient Chinese Four - character award Koraku (先 忧 后 楽), "Only trouble, then pleasure ." The garden is laid as a change in the style of garden Enshū School [NB 1].
For ponds and streams in the garden the river water is used, and as usual there are artificial hills. There is a small tea plantation and a field for rice cultivation. Unusually for a Japanese garden are the extensive lawns. The garden benefits from, influenced by the nearby Inland Sea, mild climate. The garden remained after the Meiji Restoration in possession of the Ikeda family, who then left him in 1884 of the Prefecture.
When a typhoon -related floods in 1934, the garden was damaged, since construction in 1939 he is circled by both sides completely of water. During World War II, the buildings were largely destroyed. After the war, the garden was gradually restored. 1952 " Particularly important natural design " ( tokubetsu meisho ), he was awarded the predicate.
The garden in detail
- Enyo -tei: In this first building in the garden of the prince among his guests. It offers the best view of the central pond, the Sawa -no- ike. The present building was restored the original building in 1960.
- In front of the Enyo -tei is the Kakumei -kan, initially called simply hiroma (Hall ), the reception room for guests. The present building was from the city of Iwakuni ( Yamaguchi Prefecture) in 1949 moved here.
- Behind the Enyo -tei is a classic Noh stage at which you can see from the Eishô - suminagashi -no- ma over.
- The central pond, Sawa -no- ike, is to remember the landscape at Lake Biwa.
- In addition to the group of houses described above is the small, deep pond Kayō -no- ike, in the lotus blooming in the summer. Behind this is a large stone ( Ō- date- ishi ) of 7 m high and 20 m, that of the Inland Sea - was transported here - broken down into 93 parts. For this ensemble also the teahouse heard mosho - on.
- From the mountain Yuishin you have a beautiful view over the garden.
- Ryuten is an laterally open pavilion on the current flowing through the garden brook. There you can sit on benches parallel to the stream and let your feet. Previously enjoyed it in the context of Kyokusui -no- en: you had to have written a short poem before reaching a floating above used shell with sake.
- Near the Ryuten there is a zigzag bridge ( Yatsuhashi ), straddling the irises bloom in summer.
- At the southeastern end of the garden, before it goes to the modern greenhouse Chaso - dō, a teahouse, where the statues of the great tea master Sen no Eisai and Rikyū are available.
- From the thatched pavilion Kanki -tei the prince was able to observe the art of riding his people on the web.
- Further facilities include groups of plum, cherry, maple and pine trees, a cage with cranes and other small buildings to the garden.
Annual events
Characteristics
- Carrier: Okayama Prefecture
- Opening: circa 1884
- Area: 133,000 m²
- Trees: 10,300 trees, 250 species classified in
- Facilities: Large and small teahouses, Noh stage, greenhouse, smaller buildings