Suizen-ji Jōju-en
水前寺成趣園
Suizen-ji Jōju-en
TypeJapanese garden
LocationKumamoto Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates32°47′28″N 130°44′05″E / 32.791092°N 130.734594°E / 32.791092; 130.734594
Created1636

Suizen-ji Jōju-en (水前寺成趣園) is a tsukiyama[note 1] Japanese garden located within Suizen-ji Park (水前寺公園, Suizen-ji Kōen) in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The main tsukiyama is a representation of Mount Fuji. Lord Hosokawa Tadatoshi began construction of the garden in 1636 as a tea retreat. The park was named after a no-longer-extant Buddhist temple called Suizen-ji, and now hosts the Izumi Shrine, where members of the Hosokawa family are enshrined, and a Nōgaku-dō, a Noh theater. Lord Hosokawa selected this site because of its spring-fed pond, the clean water of which was excellent for tea.[1] The thatched Kokin-Denju-no-Ma teahouse was originally in Kyoto's Imperial Palace, but was moved here in 1912.

The garden has been declared by the national government a historic site of scenic beauty.

Suizenji Park

Suizenji Kōen is an interesting and popular venue, featuring miniature landscapes, a temple, and small lakes containing large koi. It is a short tram ride from the city. Nearby, there are many souvenir and snack shops.

The pond 26. Oct. 1978
The pond 10. Nov. 1978

See also

Notes

  1. Tsukiyama gardens are Japanese gardens featuring an artificial mountain (a tsukiyama).

References

  • Explore Japan, Suizenji Garden accessed on August 31, 2009
  • Mansfield, Stephen (2011). Japan's Master Gardens - Lessons in Space and Environment (Hardback). Tokyo, Rutland, Singapore: Tuttle. ISBN 978-4-8053-1128-8.
  1. "Pylant, Don D. Japanese Gardening Organization - Suizenji Park". Botanysaurus. 11 October 2001. Archived from the original on 3 September 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2008.


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