I took the train to Yokohama to visit Sankeien Garden. The entry fee is 700 yen, but it is more than worth it!
(From the website)
Sankeien is a traditional and typical Japanese-style garden designed and landscaped by Sankei Hara (his real name was Tomitaro Hara), a wealthy businessman in the silk trade.
He reconstructed buildings of historic importance from places such as Kyoto and Kamakura in this garden, which was opend to the public as ”Sankeien”in 1906.
In the garden, whose surface extends to 175000㎡, seventeen old buildings of high historic value are skillfully arranged in harmony with the seasonal changes of the natural scenery.
The Second World War caused great damage, and in 1953 the property was transferred from the Hara family to the care of the Sankeien Hoshokai foundation. Restoration works were carried out, and five years later, Sankeien had nearly recovered its former appearance.
The first view at the entrance is the lake and the three tiered pagoda on the hill. There were several of these large maps throughout the grounds so you could find where you were.
The first building on the right is the Former Hara Family Residence, which has been designated a tangible cultural property. The house was built as the primary residence for the Hara family around the 30th year of the Meiji Era. The compound includes a parlor room, living quarters, study, guest room, a Buddhist prayer room and other facilities.
Sankeien Garden is a Japanese-style garden, extending over 180,000 square meters. It was built and landscaped by Sankei Hara, a wealthy silk trading businessman who was known to be a collector of art. The garden was opened in 1906. Historic buildings collected from Kyoto, Kamakura, and other areas are special features of this garden.
Entry to the Inner Garden
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| Gomon Gate |
I enjoyed Japanese treats and tea.
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| View from tea area |
Old Tensuiji Juto Oido - a juto is a kind of gravestone erected during ancient times during one's lifetime to celebrate one's own or other's longevity. This was originally built in the courtyard of a temple in Kyoto and moved here.
Gekkaden (important cultural property) was built by Ieyasu Tokugawa in the compound of the Fushimi Castle in Kyoto in 1603. It was used as a guest house where feudal lords stayed when they came to pay their respects to the Shogun.
Kinmokustu - This tea arbor was built in 1918 by Sankei Hara and has a one and three quarter mat tea ceremony room. Kinmokusu is so named because a handrail from the balcony of the Kinmokaku of Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto was used as the alcove post of the building.
Tenjuin (important cultural property) - The origin of the Tenjuin is a Jizodo (a hall of worship dedicated to Jizo Bosutsu) built in 1651, located at the Shimpeiji Temple in Kamakura. It was transfered to the garden in 1916.
Choshukaku (important cultural property) - was built in 1623 by the third shogun, Iemitsu Tokugawa, in the compound of Nijo Castle in Kyoto, perhaps as one of the garden guildings. The Choshukaku is important because there are only a few buildings with a structure like this still in existence. This two storied building was designed on the basis of a balance that avoids symmetry as much as possible. It was moved to the garden in 1922.
Sekikan (stone coffin) The front was excavated near the Kairyu-0uji Temple in Nara. The back was excavated near the Hokkeji Temple in Nara.
Shunsoro (important cultural property) - the Shunsoro tea arbor has a three and three quarter mat tea ceremony room. It was moved to the garden in 1918.
Rengein - includes a tea room with an uncovered wooden floor between two mats, a six mat hall, and an unfloored space. It was build in 1917 by Sankei Hara. The column standing at the center of the unfloored space is said to have come from the Hoodo Hall of the Byodoin Temple in Uji, Kyoto.
This is the gate between the inner and outer gardens.
I'll continue with the outer garden another day.
