Ritsurin Garden

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About Ritsurin Garden

Ritsurin is a stroll garden of about 75 hectares, including the slope of Mount Shiun, which serves as a backdrop. It was built over more than a hundred years by the lords of the Takamatsu domain, first the Ikoma and later the Matsudaira, and was completed in the mid-18th century. It is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan and has the country’s highest scenic designation.

The garden is divided into two parts. The south garden, the older section, is in the traditional style, with six ponds, thirteen artificial hills, islands and bridges, designed to change scenes with every turn of the path. The arched Engetsu-kyo Bridge and Nanko Pond, with the tea house in the background, are the best-known views. The north garden, more open, was remodeled in the 20th century, with lawns and ponds featuring lotus and irises.

Pines are Ritsurin’s hallmark: there are more than a thousand, pruned by hand into carefully controlled shapes, some centuries old. The Hakomatsu, a row of pines trimmed into box shapes, and the pines leaning over the water are among the most photographed images.

The Kikugetsu-tei tea house, on the edge of the south pond, serves whisked green tea with a sweet, facing the water. For part of the year there are boat rides on Nanko Pond with rowers. A relaxed visit takes about two hours, along gravel paths and some low hills with viewpoints.