Among the more popular destinations in Kagawa is Ritsurin Garden. Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, the garden comprises 6 ponds and 13 small hills in the shadow of Mt Shiun. The park served as the private villa estate for 11 lords of the Matsudaira family for 228 years up until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. It’s been open to the public since 1875.
Here are some of the highlights from my visit to the garden last year.
Engetsu-kyo Bridge
Pines among the rocks
Fall color
Maples
Geometric pruning
Engetsu-kyo Bridge
Gun’o-chi Pond
Pagoda
Pond
Bridge – trickier to navigate than I imagined
Stepping stones
Water basin
Lilies
Mt. Shiun
Sago palms
Thatch roof
Old tree
Lake
Feeding fish
Enjoying the garden
Fall color
Nanko Lake
