Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima

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Facts & Figures

Shukkeien, formerly known as Izumizu Yashiki or Misensui, is a beautiful Japanese landscape garden and can be found in downtown Hiroshima near Hiroshima Castle and the Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art. The word Shukkeien means the Shrunken-Scenery Garden. It will take you approx. 1hr to discover all the beautiful spots around the large pond (Takuei)), which forms the centre of the garden. Shukkeien combines many scenic views in a single garden. You will find there in miniature form mountains, forests and rice paddies. Experience the Ultimate Japanese Hospitality at a Hiroshima Ryokan.
 Find Your Perfect Ryokan Now > I really liked the two tea houses, which offer seasonal tea ceremonies, and the famous Kokokyo Bridge in the form of a rainbow. The large pond has a huge population of always hungry multicolor koi (carp) and turtles. Buy for just 100 yen a bag of food for them and start feeding:) The garden contains about 5200 trees of 150 species and seasonal flowers. The beautiful scenery is worth a visit for every season. My tip: Come here during the fall foliage season and enjoy the beautiful illuminations.

• Shukkeien Garden:
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (last entry 5:30 pm) from 16th of March - 15th of September
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (last entry 4:30 pm) from 16th of September - 15th of March
• Closed - 29th till 31st of December
• Admission Fee - 260 yen (Adults), 150 yen (High school/College student), 100 yen (Elementary/Junior high school students)

My tips for local activities

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History

Shukkeien was established during the Edo time (1603 - 1867) in 1620 by samurai and daymio Nagaakira Asano (1586 – 1632) of the Hiroshima Domain, just after the completion of Hiroshima Castle. The feudal lord gave his tea ceremony master and respected warrior Ueda Soko (1563 - 1650) the order to create a villa garden for him. The blueprint for the project was the well-known Lake Xihu (West Lake) in Hangzhou in China. Unfortunately in 1758 the Great Fire of Hoerki burned down most of the buildings in the garden. 2 years later in 1760 a larger reconstruction project was started. A major redevelopment happened also between 1783 and 1788. In 1940 the Asano family made the decision to donate Shukkeien to the Hiroshima Prefecture. The prefecture gave the garden the status of a scenic spot. Just 5 years later during WW2 the atomic bomb was dropped and destroyed Hiroshima including the garden. The bomb exploded just 1,4 km away from the Shukkeien Garden and many people looking for shelter died there. You will find on the property two memorial monuments, Kokokyo Bridge (rainbow bridge) and a ginkgo tree that survived the devastating bomb. Big efforts were taken to restore the garden to its former glory and in 1951 the whole area was re-opened for the public. In 2020 the garden celebrated its 400 year anniversary.

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Sightseeing spots

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Takuei Pond - The large pond is forming the centre of the garden and is a reminiscent of the beauty of the many islands of Seto. The water for the pond comes from the nearby Kyobashi River and consists of sea and fresh water. A huge population of koi can be seen there.

Yeonghui Peak - From here you have the best view over the Shukkeien Garden. The nearby Hiroshima Castle is also visible.

Chozenkyo - It is the largest island in the pond and accessible by the Senshin and Kanran bridges. Come here and enjoy some relaxing moments.

Kokokyo Bridge - The rainbow shaped bridge is dating back approx. 240 years. The structure survived the blast of the atomic bomb.

Yakuso-en - This medicinal plant garden is surrounded by huge bamboo trees.

Festival & Events (dates can change without notice)

March - April

Cherry Blossom Festival (26th - 4th)
The illumination of the Shukkeien Garden at night is attracting many visitors every year.

August

Memorial Service (1st)
Memorial Service for Atomic Bomb Victims is happening on the 1st of August.