Ritsurin-koen

Ritsurin-koen Review

Takamatsu's number one attraction, the great garden park Ritsurin-koen, is a breathtaking, peaceful retreat from the world around. Though not on the list of Japan's three best gardens, Ritsurin-koen offers a more intimate and immersive experience than any traditional garden in the country. You'll want a few hours to explore, and although you get a handy trail map as you enter, remember to walk your own path while you explore. Just around the next bend are great surprises: an embankment of irises in full bloom in June; a thousand turtles surfacing in a pond to say hello; a sea of ferns surrounding the thatch-roofed teahouse where your bowl of bitter matcha induces your afternoon's meditation. This secluded haven was once the summer estate of nobility, and though the ancient clans have crumbled with time, the park has lost none of its magic or beauty.