Korakuen Garden by Rabbityama
Korakuen Garden is considered to be one of the three best gardens in Japan since the Edo Period. It was constructed by Tsuda Nagatada by orders of the daimyo Ikeda Tsunamasa and took thirteen years to complete (1687-1700). The garden was originally used by the daimyo to entertain his guests, as well as for his own personal pleasure. Minor changes were made periodically by the feudal lords until about 1863.The garden has suffered damage by a flood in the 1930s and WWII bombings in 1945, however one of the reasons that it carries the title of being one of Japan's top three gardens is due to the fact that they have the original garden layout, so the damaged sections were able to be restored to make the entire garden resemble the original!
I find one unique aspect of this garden in comparison to many others in Japan is the openness of it. Although you can never see an entire Japanese garden from one angle, much of Korakuen is flat, so you can see a large amount of the garden without many obstructions from a variety of angles. The best view is said to be from the Enyo-tei House, where the Daimyo was received, but because it is a historical building, visitors cannot go inside. That's not so bad, though. There are so many great angles for viewing various parts of the garden!Korakuen is quite beautiful and worthy of its status!
To see the entire garden, it takes over an hour. (many visitors do not venture into the wooden area behind the Enyo-tei House and pond, but I would recommend going to all sections to get the full experience.)
Despite its fame, the entrance fee is only 350 yen for adults! (140 for 5-14 year olds and free for senior citizens with identification that displays one's birth date)
