This post contains 10 beautiful pictures of the Ritsurin Garden.
It was raining hard when we reached the garden.
The super typhoon Neoguri has just passed us by, heading towards Osaka and Tokyo.
The rain was pouring and some of us decided not to walk the garden. For a moment, I hesitated too, as I may be unable to take pictures in the rain.
But the garden was so attractive that I just couldn’t resist getting into it.
Ritsurin Garden (栗林公園 Ritsurin Kōen, lit. chestnut grove garden) is one of the most famous historical gardens in Japan. The garden is situated in the city of Takamatsu and is considered one of its main attractions.
It is a Daimyo’s garden, a garden that was designated as a special beauty spot in Japan in March 1953.
It is the largest, representative “Kaiyushiki-teien” (landscape garden designated for strolling through).
The garden has many lotus and water lilies, but unfortunately, most of the flowers were deformed by the heavy rain.
The garden contains a tea house, various folk art and craft exhibits (including the Sanuki Folk Craft Museum), as well as various folk art and craft items for sale.
We stopped by the teahouse and had a delightful bowl of green tea with a chest nut cake as dessert.
A tour through the garden generally takes one to two hours. There are various bridges, footpaths and small hills which offer a beautiful view of the garden and the surrounding scenery, most notably Mt. Shiun (紫雲山 Shiun-zan?) at the western border of the garden.
There are many scenes of pines and other trees dripping down to the water- something which I am not tired of photographing.
Have seen many bridges on this trip to Shikoku, this timber arch bridge in the garden is a view not to be missed. Even in the rain, there are tourists standing on the bridge with their umbrellas.
In some locations, we have to cross the streams.
I was happy to step on the flat stepping stones while watching the color pebbles and the water flowing past. They seem more like a work of art to me.
So, this is just another walk in paradise!
“Another walk in paradise!” Amazing photos!
The garden was really like a paradise which I thoroughly enjoyed!
I agree with you, Michael! Fantastic garden! And a superb post as well! Thank you!
Thank you for your kind comment on the photos and the post!
Thanks, Michael!
🙂
Your photos of the Ritsurin Gardens are ethereal, really lovely. I especially like Photo #9 with the people and umbrellas on the arched bridge. 🙂
Hi, glad that you especially like the bridge photo, it seems to be the favourite of many readers!
The gardens are beautiful.
🙂
Enjoyed this post very much! Thank you, Michael!
Glad that you enjoyed it. Many thanks, Michael
Im glad you stopped to take these pictures. Absolutely exquisite! Such symmetry, its so relaxing just to look at these. What beauty, I’m putting this garden on my Japan to do list!
The gardens of Japan usually have a zen feel, good for the inner mind!
So very Beautiful, Michael!! 🙂 !!
Thank you, Henrietta!
🙂
Beautiful shot! Very peaceful & serene… a pleasure to the eye.
Glad that you like the photos!
Paradise describes it quite well. It’s so beautiful it almost doesn’t seem real! 🙂
I may share more images of the garden – for example, the pines in the garden!
Stunning photos. Thanks!
🙂
Glad you decided to visit Ritsurin Garden despite the rain.
It is stunning all year long and regardless of the weather.
I missed out going on top some of the mounds and have a bird eyes view of the garden 🙂
Beautiful… I believe many Japanese gardens were inspired by the gardens of Suzhou. True?
Everything including gardens of the Sung Dynasty had great influence on the art / culture of Japan which they have further developed.
The Suzhou gardens are one of the best gardens and I am sure it has a lot of influence on them too.
In one of my post, I talked about the six attributes of gardens which the Japanese has adopted, these principles were originated from China.
This garden does look like paradise …and while I loved all the photos the one of the tourists with umbrellas on the bridge is my favourite.
This photo seems to be liked by many readers. Thank you!
Wow really beautiful post Michael, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you 🙂
I’m a tree fan and those beautifully cared for pines really show how much they are cared for. Almost like bonsai only on a larger scale. Really nice shots of the garden, I’ve enjoyed seeing them, thank you.
Hi, stay tuned. If you are interested in the pines, I may prepare a post specially on the pines in the Ritsurin gardens 🙂
I shall be watching for sure! Thank you Michael.
🙂
What exquisite shots, Michael. That’s not unusual for you. I think the rain added a new dimension.
Some of the photos were taken after the rain subsided. The lotus flowers would look a lot more beautiful if not damaged by the rain!
I wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t mentioned it. Each picture had its own beauty. Even damaged flowers, like humans, have their beauty. 🙂
Quite true, the photos I post show flowers with less damages!
We only show the parts we like! We get to choose.
I agree 🙂
wow! i love the pictures and the place! i always dreamed to go and visit Japan…hope i could visit that place too…the place and the nature itself is very relaxing!
Glad that you like the photos and nature. You will find my photos are mostly about nature and landscape. Regards, Michael
Really stunning Michael, I adore Japanese gardens! 🙂
Will share more on this topic in due course 🙂
Such beautiful images and such a beautiful place…..loved the ambience …thankyou : )
Many thanks for your perusal and like!
It looks so peaceful!
Glad that you find them peaceful!
The Water Lilies!!! BEAUTIFUL!
Hi Diana, although he garden also have water lilies, the photos I show were for lotus. I may show some water lilies in a later post 🙂
OH!!! I thought the pretty pink flowers were water lilies! Well then – – I will look forward to your upcoming posts with water lilies!! 🙂
Your blog is lovely!
Hi, lilies stay at the water surface but lotus grows above water:-)
Thank you for the response! So informative! 🙂
🙂
It’s a beautiful garden, Michael. I can see that from your photos.
I hope to share more photos of the garden later!
I liked a lot.
Thank you, Tania!
Absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad you braved the rain!
Glad to hear from you. Hope all’s well with you!
Beautiful
🙂
I think of the many Japanese (as well as Korean and Chinese) prints and paintings that include rain and clouds a part of the landscape. Islands cannot escape rain, especially with major storms. Watch your step on those rocks.
Oscar
The stepping stones are beautiful – I found out just yesterday, they are featured on Wikipedia! Think my image is better with the running water 🙂
Just stunningly beautiful – never heard about this garden before .. I have checked out and it’s a bit fare from where I plan to go.
From Hiroshima, you have to cross the Seto Ohasi bridges to Shikoku and it is a bit far!
Yes, I checked it out … and there are no tours neither to the garden from neither Kyoto or Hiroshima. What a pity. Did you travel independently????
What we did was to take China (Taiwan) Airlines from HK to Taipei, transit there to Takamatsu (in Shinkoku), from there we went on to visit the Ritsurin garde, the shrine and Hiroshima. The fare of the flight could be quite competitive. At first, I have some reservation on taking the China Airline – but was impressed by some of their new planes and service. Also, they were among the first to divert their flight from Ukraine. Of course, don’t take Malaysia Airline! Alternatively, you can land at Osaka, but still I think it is a bit far.
I checked out HK Express airlines around 1250 HK$ for a single fare. I was looking at flying SAS to Hong Kong first and had meant I had been changing to China Air in Beijing to HK. Now I fly Finnair all the way from CPH. It would have been great fly China Airlines.
Finnair is good!
Everybody says so … so long as they get me to HK and back from Tokyo, *smile
🙂
Hi Viveka, maybe you can go to the Shukkeien Koen in Hiroshima instead!
Reblogged this on Really Not Bridget Jones and commented:
This is beautiful. I love Japanese gardens!
Thanks for reblogging this on!
Thank you for sharing these, Michael. I want to cycle from Onimichi across the bridges to Shikoku next time we go to Japan. Now I want to add Ritsurin Garden! Maybe we will need to stay overnight on Shikoku so we can explore.
I think Japanese garden design is clever, it seems to incorporate the beauty of weather, too, somehow. We visited Kinkakuji in Kyoto in the rain – it was very wet, but the view across the mirror pond to the pavilion was lovely even in the rain.
I saw from another post that you were also in Hiroshima, my favourite Japanese city. Did you visit Shukkeien Koen? This is a miniature stroll garden and very restful. Your pictures here reminded me oif it.
Hi Mrs. Hicks, the Japanese gardens are just lovely. I am sure you will enjoy your cycle trips too. Have never been to Shukkeien Koen, it seems to be a miniature stroll garden with the essential ingredients. I’ll go there if I stop by Hiroshima next time. Regards, Michael
Beautiful garden from your lens. I love them 🙂
Hi, I hope to post more on the gardens 🙂
I would love to see them for sure. Thank you! 🙂
🙂