Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle

Background

Okayama Kōraku-en and Okayama Castle stand in Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. They face each other across the Asahi River and are linked by Tsukimi Bridge, about 5 minutes apart on foot. Together with Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Kairakuen in Mito, Kōraku-en is counted among the "Three Great Gardens of Japan." It is a strolling garden in which broad lawns, ponds, artificial hills and teahouses are linked by paths and waterways, with a winding stream about 640 meters long. Historic buildings such as En'yō-tei, the lord's living quarters, and a Noh stage are usually closed to the public; En'yō-tei is specially opened twice a year. Okayama Castle can be seen from around the Sawa-no-ike pond, and Mount Misao outside the garden is borrowed as part of its scenery. Kōraku-en was built for Ikeda Tsunamasa, the second lord of the Okayama domain, who entrusted the work to his retainer Tsuda Nagatada. Construction began in 1687 and was largely complete by 1700; later lords added alterations, but its Edo-period appearance was never greatly changed. In 1871 its name was changed from "Go-kōen" to "Kōraku-en," and in 1884 the Ikeda family transferred it to Okayama Prefecture. It was damaged by flooding from the Muroto Typhoon in 1934 and by the Okayama air raid in 1945, and was restored afterward. It was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 1922 and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty in 1952. Okayama Castle took its early-modern form in a major renovation by Ukita Hideie from 1590 to 1597; the main channel of the Asahi River was rerouted to flow along the castle's north and east sides as a natural moat. The castle is called U-jō, the "Crow Castle," for its black-lacquered weatherboard exterior, and is also known as Kin'u-jō. The keep was designated a National Treasure under the old system in 1931, burned down in the Okayama air raid of June 29, 1945, and its exterior was rebuilt in reinforced concrete in 1966. It is a composite watchtower-type keep with four roof tiers and six floors. The surviving Tsukimi-yagura turret and the Nishi-no-maru Nishite-yagura turret are Important Cultural Properties, and the castle site is a National Historic Site.

Local customs

• Stroll around the garden along the winding stream, following the roughly 640-meter water circuit
• if your visit coincides with one of En'yō-tei's two special openings a year, go inside the lord's living quarters (dates as officially announced)
• combine Kōraku-en and Okayama Castle, crossing Tsukimi Bridge over the Asahi River and viewing the Crow Castle from the Sawa-no-ike side
• climb Okayama Castle's keep to see the exhibits inside and look out over Okayama city and the Asahi River from the top floor.

Travel tips

• Allow half a day for both sites. A combined ticket for Kōraku-en and Okayama Castle is said to be available
• check details and fees with the official sources. En'yō-tei is specially opened only twice a year, with dates announced on the official website.
• Kōraku-en is about 25 minutes on foot from JR Okayama Station, or about 20 minutes by car from the Okayama Interchange. For Okayama Castle, take the Okayama Electric Tramway Higashiyama Line to Shiroshita stop, or an Okaden or Ryōbi bus to Kenchō-mae
• the two sites are about 5 minutes apart on foot via Tsukimi Bridge. Spring cherry blossoms and fresh green, deep summer shade, autumn maples and winter calm all suit a visit
• around summer and autumn, events related to the Okayama Momotarō Festival are held around U-jō Park (as officially announced).