“Kenrokuen” 兼六園 literally translates as the “park of six features.” The name refers to the six elements essential to a beautiful garden referred to in classical Chinese thought: spaciousness, tranquility, artificial construction, antique elegance, abundant water, and magnificent views.
Lantern in the Kenroku-en garden, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Kenrokuen in Kanazawa indeed combines all of these, and is considered to be one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan along with Kairaku-en and Koraku-en.
Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (photo: mk_is_here/flickr)
Kenrokuen was originally the garden of the outer residence of Tsunanori Maeda, the fifth lord of Kanazawa Castle. Constructed in the Enpo Period (1673 to 1681), it remained in the family and was enlarged and changed over time, finally completed in 1822. The garden was open to the public after the Meiji Restoration in 1875.
Kenroku-en Kanazawa フリークランド
The original residence burned down in 1881, but there are still many buildings such as tea houses and small residences on the grounds. Enjoy beautiful vistas of ponds and hills changing with the seasons. In spring the cherry and plum trees are incredible, and the azaleas and irises add color in the summer.
Fall foliage brightens the park in autumn, and winter brings plenty of snow. November 1st is the start of yukitsuri, when the branches of the trees are tied with ropes to tall poles to prevent them from breaking under the weight of snow. The resulting conical shape is an iconic image of Kenrokuen Park.
Kenrokuen is open from 7 am to 6 pm from March 1 through October 15. October 16through the end of February, the park is open from 8 am to 5 pm. Adult admission is 300 yen, and children from 6 to 18 cost 100 yen to enter. Adults over 65 can enter for free with identification proving age.
Yūgao-tei tea house, Kenroku-en kanazawa
There are four different Tea Houses in Kenrokuen, all with their own style and beauty.
Shiguretei Tea House view at Kanazawa – Kenrokuen
The Shiguretei Tea House, recreated from the 6th lord Yoshinori’s villa, is next to the scenic Hase Pond and opened in March, 2000. It is open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (Last admission 4:00 pm) and is closed New Years (December 29 to January 3). Shiguretei has traditional Tea service serving powdered tea for 720 yen (with Shiguretei’s original Japanese-style confection) and green tea for 310 yen (with Japanese-style confection).
There are three city buses that run to different gates of the park, making it easy to reach from Kanazawa Station in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
For more information: http://www.pref.ishikawa.jp/siro-niwa/kenrokuen/e/index.html
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