2013年07月10日

Lotus Pond


What’s a nice way to beat the heat in Takamatsu? Taking a stroll in one of the most beautiful spots in Japan—Ritsurin Garden. The largest traditional garden of its kind in Japan, it was awarded 3 stars in the Michelin Green Guide.

Lotus Pond

Established almost 4 hundred years ago as a villa for the ruling lord and his family, Ritsurin took almost a century to complete and is now maintained by a team of topnotch gardeners and volunteers.

Lotus Pond
Gardeners

One of my favorite features is the fact that Ritsurin Garden is open from sunrise to sunset. In July, that means it opens from about 5:30 AM when it is still pleasantly cool.

In summer, early morning is also the perfect time to enjoy the lotus blossoms in Fuyo-ho (Lotus Pond).

Lotus Pond

Enormous umbrella-like leaves cover the 5,500 m2 pond from one end to the other. These carp seemed to be enjoying the leafy jungle, too.

Lotus Pond

With plenty of good photo-ops, there are often photographers in the garden from first light. I, as you may know by now, am not a great photographer, so I picked a cloudy day and went later. The blossoms were still beautiful even after lunch, making me wish that I was a good photographer!

Lotus Pond

Lotus Pond

I definitely recommend taking a break in one of the teahouses. After all, this garden was created to be viewed from inside as well as from outside. Here are some of the views from Kikugetsu-tei, the largest teahouse and the only one open on both weekdays and holidays.

Lotus Pond

Lotus Pond


If it rains, the staff will rush to close the shutters. The mechanics are pretty special, so don’t be sad if this happens while you are there. The staff will quite happily show you how the shutters, which are all stored at one end of the building, are swung out and around the corner posts and pushed round to cover the entire façade.

Lotus Pond

So for those of you who are staying in Takamatsu, even for a short time, definitely take the time to drop in to Ritsurin Garden. If you can, plan to spend at least an hour if not more. It’s well worth it.

Admission: JPY400 (JPY170 for children)
Kikugetsu-tei: Entrance fee comes with tea and a sweet. JPY510 for green tea, JPY710 for powdered green tea. Or get a discount by buying a combined garden entrance/tea ticket when you enter.
More info: http://www.pref.kagawa.lg.jp/ritsurin/index_e.html

Takamatsu Access:
Takamatsu can be reached by direct flights from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, by express bus from Kansai International Airport (3 hr), and by direct flights from China and Korea. It can also be reached by taking the bullet train to Okayama and changing to the Marine Liner bound for Takamatsu (runs every 1/2 hour; takes 1 hour). For more info see http://wikitravel.org/en/Takamatsu



My Profile
Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.

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Posted by kanamori heihachi at 2013年07月26日 16:06
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