Yanagawa city – Japanese gardens

Yanagawa city is famous as a tourist destination, located in south of Fukuoka prefecture. It is a canal town, centered on Yanagawa castle which is only an artificial waterway called “ moat”  remains now. The river cruising that take guests along the moat is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Yanagawa city. 

There are beautiful ornaments called “Sagemon” that handmade balls and dolls are hung up and decorated everywhere in Yanagawa city from Mid-February to Mid-April. Those ornaments originated in the Edo period(about 19th century) when people displayed them to celebrate the birth of a girl and now this event “Sagemon” is held to make it known to the public.
And there is famous gardens built by the lord of the Yanagawa domain.

Shoto-en garden

The Shoto-en garden was a large courtyard in a residence for Tachibana family who was a feudal lord of the Yanagawa, located in the southwest of the castle moat, built in 1697. This garden was designed to resemble the Matusima where it’s the bay with islands and coastal areas in Miyagi prefecture and the Matusima is known as one of the three great views of japan, and now the Shoto-en garden is also recognized as national places of scenic beauty of Japan.
This garden style is called the pond garden which has a big pond, designed to see view from one location. It’s the stunning sight of garden from the main hall. There are about 280 pine trees that is symbols of the eternal youth and longevity, in addition, about 1,500 stones are arranged naturally in the garden. This residence has a small outer garden that has flowering shrubs as the western-style garden and other buildings such as an accommodation, wedding hall, museum.
This garden is definitely worth a visit.

Information

Open hours
10:00~16:00

Regular holiday
Check business hours for each month(Japanese only)
https://ohana.co.jp/blogs/information

Admission
Adults: 1000yen
High school students: 500yen
Junior high school students and under: 400yen

※This ticket includes garden, Main hall, and Tatibana musicum

Telephone
0944-73-2189

Address
Shinhokamachi, Yanagawa, Fukuoka 832 – 0069

Toshima-shi garden

Toshima-shi garden was created in the house, called Former Residence of the Toshima Family, with thatched roof for Kanetomo yoshida, located in west of Yanagawa city, built in the late 18th century. This garden style is the pond garden which uses water drawn from the Yanagawa castle moat. The stonework show us a contrast scenery that the pebbles beach on the house side represents gentle waves, on the other hands the sharp rocks in the pond mean steep mountains.
There are manicured pine trees and sheared azaleas which bloom from late April to late May. This house also has a entry garden where Maule’s quinces and Corylopsis paucifloras make flower in mid-March.

Information

Open hours
9:00~17:00

Regular holiday
Tuesday(if Tuesday is national holiday, the next day will be substitute holiday)
New year’s holiday (Dec29-Jan1)

Admission
Adults: 100yen

Telephone
0944-73-9587

Address
49-3 Ondomachi, Yanagawa, Fukuoka 832-0067