Korakuen Garden — One of Japan's Three Great Gardens

Korakuen Garden (岡山後楽園) ranks among Japan's Three Great Gardens alongside Kenroku-en (Kanazawa) and Kairaku-en (Mito), renowned for its spacious lawns, scenic ponds, and borrowed scenery incorporating Okayama Castle. Completed in 1700 by feudal lord Ikeda Tsunamasa after 14 years of construction, the 13.3-hectare garden exemplifies the daimyo stroll garden style — winding paths reveal carefully composed landscapes with each step, integrating hills, streams, tea houses, and seasonal flora.

The garden's design philosophy emphasizes open space and natural harmony. Wide lawn areas (unusual in Japanese gardens) provide sightlines to Okayama Castle's black keep rising beyond the garden's boundaries, creating the 'borrowed scenery' (shakkei) effect. The Enyo-tei tea house, perched on a hill, served as the lord's rest pavilion and offers elevated garden views. Seasonal highlights include plum blossoms (February), cherry blossoms and azaleas (April), iris (June), and autumn foliage (November). The garden survived World War II intact, maintaining original Edo-period design elements including stone lanterns, bridges, and the Sawa-no-ike pond with its islands and cranes.