Visit to The Garden of Shoren-in
I visited November 22, 2008.
According to the explanation of Brochure,
"The Garden of Sho-ren-in is built utilizing the base of Mt. Awata. It is said this tranquil and profound garden is designed by So-ami during Muromachi era. ....... Despite no evidence, there is no doubt that this is one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens utilizing natural beauty in the surroundings.
it is difficult to figure out now how the garden was originally created during Muromachi era. The taste common in the gardens designed during Edo era can be seen. As Sho-ren-in is a venerable temple closely related to the imperial family, the whole structure is filled with elegance with its gracious appearance. ........ "
A Camphor tree, assumed to be 800 years old, in the morning sun.
A Relaxed scenery of this garden (seen from the house Kachoh-den )
There is a pond Ryujin-no-ike in the main part of the garden.
The cape of the artificial hill "Tsukiyama" expands from the left, at the back is the stone-composition,
at the center back is the Senshin cascade , then a lantern, and at the right side is a stone bridge with a beautiful warp.
These components of this garden seem to surround a big stone in the middle of the pond.
Arranging not a central island "Nakajima" but a neat stone "Oh-ishi" at the center of the pond seems to keep not only
the sense of existence of each component but also the sense of the entire balance without deforming the scenery.
A view seen from the south side of the pond
The cape of the artificial hill "Tsukiyama" with a lantern & the stone-composition
The Senshin cascade at the east center back of the pond "Ryujin-no-ike"
Senshin (Heart washing) , Ryujin (Dragon)
A stone bridge with a beautiful warp
A view seen from the north side of the pond
Walking along a path from the pond to the north, you will arrive at the garden "Kirishima-no-niwa" designed by KOBORI Enshu.
"Kirishima azalea" will be lovely around the Beauteous May.
The garden called Kirishima-no-niwa and a colored maple
The garden will be dyed green by maples and dyed red by Kirishima azalea in spring.