Considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, Okayama Korakuen 後楽園 岡山 is worth a visit in any season. It has wide expanses of lawn and fields which are rare in the densely crowded country. The park was completed in 1700 at the request of Lord Ikeda Tsunamasa. It was used for entertaining guests and as a personal retreat, though on rare occasions the general public was also admitted. In 1884, ownership was transferred to Okayama Prefecture and the garden was opened to the public.
Okayama ‘Crow’ Castle
The Okayama Korakuen garden was designed in the Kaiyu (‘scenic promenade’) style which presents visitors with a new view at every turn of the path which connects the lawns, ponds, hills, tea houses, and streams.
The best view of the garden is from the Enyo-tei retreat house where the lord enjoyed resting. Unfortunately Korakuen, like much of Okayama, suffered damage in WWII. However, there are extensive documents from the Ikeda family which show how the park was originally designed, so it was restored using those as a template.
Korakuen gardens bridge and pond
The extensive grounds have several lakes, rest houses, and small shrines. There are groves of plum and maple trees that add beautiful seasonal color, as do the iris beds and lotus pond. The tea and rice plantations are unusual in a private garden. Of historical interest is a Noh stage that is still used for performances. Another interesting feature are cages of Japanese cranes, which have been raised at the park since its construction.
Okayama Korakuen stream through building
There are even rice fields called Seiden with a Rice Planting Festival being held annually on the second Sunday in June. To compliment the seiden, there is a Tea Plantation as well where the tea produced was drunk in the Edo Period by the daimyo (Japanese feudal lord). The Tea Picking Festival is held annually on the third Sunday in May.
Okayama Korakuen PhoTones Works #1748
Running from late July to mid-August there is a special late-night garden opening, called ‘Fantasy Garden’ where the Okayama Korakuen is lit up by candles and illuminations, a truly spectacular sight. During this time the garden closing time is extended to 9:30 pm.
Okayama Korakuen
Okayama Korakuen is open from 7:30 am to 6 pm from March 20 to September 30. From October 1 to March 19, it is open from 8 am to 5 pm. Standard admission is 400 yen for adults 15 to 64 years old, 140 yen for seniors over 65, and 140 yen for children 5 to 14 years old. There are several combination tickets for the park and Okayama Castle, which overlooks it, and various museums within the city. An English audio guide is available at the main entrance for 500 yen. If you make arrangements a month in advance, a live guide will show you through the park.
Okayama-jō overlooking Kōraku-en
Okayama Korakuen can be reached from Okayama Station by taking the Fujiwara Danchi bus from terminal 4. It takes about 12 minutes to get to the Korakuen-mae stop. Some areas of the park have uneven footing, but much is wheelchair or stroller friendly.
Kōraku-en
For more information: http://www.okayama-korakuen.jp/english/index.html
photos by:
barto &
elisabetta_monaco,
nicwn,
PhoTones_TAKUMA,
dishhh,
Maarten1979,
dishhh
