Sankeien Gardens, Naka, Japan
Sankeien Garden in Naka ward, Yokohama, is the city’s most charming traditional attraction, with something for nature lovers, Japanese history and culture buffs, photographers, and anyone with an eye for beauty.
Sankeien Garden is 17.5 undulating hectares (over 42 acres) of groves, traditional old Japanese structures, gardens, ponds, waterfalls, bridges, refreshment spots and a museum, connected by rambling paths and footbridges.
Sankeien was established in 1902 by Yokohama businessman, Sankei Hara (1868-1939), on land passed down by his grandfather. Construction took two decades, and incorporated numerous structures of historical and cultural significance, such as ancient houses, villas, tea rooms, arbors and shrines, from all over Japan.
Hara had close ties to leading cultural figures of the day, and a large part of the garden’s purpose was to foster the arts – a role that Sankeien very much plays even today.
Japanese culture is profoundly nature-inspired, and the garden’s variety of natural assets: flowers, trees, and wildlife, ensure a panoply of inspiring sights, sounds, and even scents, throughout the year, from cherry blossom in spring, to roses in summer, to daffodils in winter, to name a few – accompanied by all the wildlife that makes Sankeien its home, and its many sounds.
Epic Japan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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