This is an introduction of a very wonderful Japanese traditional garden called "TAKASEGAWA-GENRYU-TEIEN; Takasegawa river source garden" set aside Japanese food restaurant "Ganko Takasegawa Nijo-en."
You can stroll in this beautiful garden whether you are a customer of the restaurant or not. Everybody is welcome when he will ask the restaurant employees to visit the garden for walking. Of course, admission fees etc. are not charged at all.
PictureClick and watch a picture of the garden in summer.
There was a small standing signboard written in Japanese "Welcome anybody strolling in the garden without eating or shopping in restaurant, ask employees to walk in."
At first, I didn't think it is valuable to walk into the garden because it is tatally free, but it was surprisingly beautiful garden comparable to a few of well known traditional garden of the shrine or temples in Kyoto.
As is the case with traditional temples garden, you can enjoy the four seasons flowers and plants, and artificial brook and ponds decorated by stones.
Some of the staffs sometimes will talk to you (in Japanese) to explain the meanings of those stuffs in the traditional garden, and mount view you can watch from the garden.
Plum and cherry blossoms will sprout in spring. Firefly flies over the brook in summer.
Many trees colored red or yellow in autumn. By chance you can watch white snowed garden from warm restaurant seat in winter.
…Last case you need to be a customer in the restaurant ;-).
I recommend you to look around the garden to find the meanings of garden stones set along the walking road or brook.
It is intriguing to watch the shape and trace the old Japanese peoples' imagination.
"Tora-ishi", it means tiger stone, having a tiger like stripes are sculptured on its surface by river water found in Setagawa river in Shiga prefecture.
"Tagasode-no-Tsukubai" means the hand washing place stone set in front of the tea ceremony room, "Tsukibai," in this case it looks like a sleeve of woman's Kimono.
"Sazare-ishi" means small stones, it is a stone spontaneously made by small stone flakes connected by calcification, and it is loved by old Japanese Kizoku people because it will make a lovely sound when you set in artificial brook.
"Fuku-kaeru no ishi" (Fortune frog stone) naming derived from the Chinese legend of frog which will bring you fortune if that frog lives in your home garden.
Isn't it interesting? Japanese people loved to find a world and four seasons in their home garden to watch everything anytime if you want.
You can also find "Bakedourou," monster stone lantern made by naturally shaped stones, "Azumaya-dourou", the biggest stone lantern in Japan, a very old plum tree aged more than 150 years etc.
Personally, I love to watch the big carps in the pond as if they are suffering from metabolic syndrome ;).Ganko Takasegawa-Nijoen Takasegawa Genryu Teien;This garden was made by Kadokura Ryoui, the wealthy merchant at Keicho 16 (), and sold to Yamagata Aritomo, who was a prime minister of Japan in 19th century, called "Daini-Murin-An", and bought by Kawata Koichiro, who was a president of Nippon Ginkou, and then bought by prime minister Abe Nobuyuki, and then now, Mr. Ooiwa is a owner of this traditional garden and house, who are using them for his restaurant now calling it "The Residence Ooiwa".
You need to ask restaurant employee to let you walk in the garden.
"Oniwa misete kudasai."It means "Let us stroll in your garden, please.
" Or if you speak slowly, they will understand English.
"May I walk in your Japanese garden?" is O.K. :.And you must get off your shoes at first and you can only use Japanese sandals prepared by the restaurant to stroll in the garden.
The largest sandals size is 9.5 or 10 at US size, so that please be patient to strolling in the garden for a half hour or so.
Anyway it's completely free and sometimes employee will give you a souvenir like Sushi shaped candy or a tiny amusement stuff free. It's great!
Most of the Japanese sight-seeing people do not know this information ;).
“Ganko Takasegawa-Nijoen Takasegawa Genryu Teien”
Kyotoshi Nakagyoku Kiyamachitori Nijo-kudaru Higashiikesuchou 484-6
Phone:075-223-3456
