 Most viewed - Genkyu-en Garden and Umoregi-no-ya 玄宮園・埋木舎 |
Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en Garden in fall616 views
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From mid-Nov. to early Dec., the garden is beautifully lit up at night until 9 pm. Note that although the castle tower is also lit up, you cannot enter the castle grounds after 5 pm.333 views
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Poems288 views
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Two maids looked after Naosuke while he lived here.256 views
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247 views
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Vintage postcard of Genkyuen Garden. Little has changed except that boats no longer ply on the pond.246 views
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Genkyuen Garden's tea houses named Hakkei-tei.240 views
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The first NHK Taiga Drama series in 1963 was called "Flowering Life" 花の生涯, based on Naosuke's life here in Umoregi-no-ya. This room shows scenes from that TV series.239 views
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Hikone Castle overlooks the Hakkeitei teahouses Genkyuen Garden. Hakkeitei was built at around the same time as the garden.201 views
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Built as a castle garden in 1677 by Ii Naooki, the fourth lord of Hikone Castle. The garden has representations of the Eight Views of Omi, Chikubushima island, and the Shiraishi rocks in Lake Biwa.190 views
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A heron bringing back a branch to make a nest at Genkyuen Garden in Hikone, Shiga.178 views
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174 views
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The garden served as the location of one scene in the TV mini-series "Shogun."167 views
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154 views
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153 views
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Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en fall colors146 views
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Genkyuen entrance gate at night in autumn.144 views
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Living quarters141 views
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We cannot cross this bridge.137 views
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Inside the main room at Rakuraku-en 楽々園128 views
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We can peer inside the rooms from outside, but cannot actually enter the building.126 views
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Tea ceremony room124 views
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120 views
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108 views
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108 views
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Naosuke bided his time studying and practicing the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, Zen, poetry, martial arts, and other arts.103 views
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Palanquin. Did not say that Naosuke rode it.102 views
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Inside a palanquin.100 views
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Near the statue, Hana no Shogai (Flowering Life 花の生涯) monument for Funahashi Seiichi's novel about Naosuke's life that was made into the first NHK Taiga Drama.99 views
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Inside a palanquin. Seat back cushion.97 views
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Umoregi-no-ya was restored from 1985 to 1991, costing 200 million yen. Subsidized by the Cultural Affairs Agency, the prefecture, and city. It is a Special National Historic Site.97 views
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Ii Naosuke (井伊 直弼) (1815-1860) was the Tokugawa shogunate's Chief Minister (Tairo) who favored and concluded commercial treaties with the Western powers and thus broke Japan's isolation from the world.95 views
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These heron birds make nests in Genkyu-en's trees.93 views
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Umoregi-no-ya entrance.92 views
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For tea ceremony, he was the one who coined the phrase "Ichigo Ichie," literally meaning one time, one meeting. It can mean, "happens only once." 一期一会92 views
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Nesting herons can be quite noisy in spring.86 views
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The house has a depressing name. "Umoregi" means petrified wood. Since he was far down the family line to succeed the lordship of his clan, Naosuke did not expect he his life would flower and thereby named this house. 埋木舎81 views
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About Lord Ii Naosuke.81 viewsNaosuke had many enemies who opposed allowing foreigners into Japan or opposed his choice for Shogun Iesada's successor. On a snowy morning on March 24, 1860, Naosuke left his Edo (Tokyo) residence in his palanquin and headed for Edo Castle nearby. Near Sakuradamon Gate, Naosuke was ambushed by 18 anti-foreigner rogue samurai mostly from Mito (Ibaraki Prefecture). It started with a distraction and a bullet hitting Naosuke through his palanquin.
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Postcard of Commodore Perry and Ii Naosuke to mark the 50th anniversary of Yokohama Port's opening in 1909.80 viewsNaosuke's attackers overwhelmed his unprepared bodyguards within minutes. Wounded and defenseless Naosuke was further stabbed in his palanquin multiple times until he was dragged out by his topknot and beheaded by a Satsuma rogue samurai.
After the assassination, hard feelings continued between Hikone and Mito. But in 1968, the two cities put the past behind them and became friendship cities. Hikone gave white swans from Hikone Castle, and Mito gave plum blossom trees from the famous Kairakuen Garden.
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Moat has lotus.77 views
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Genkyuen Garden was designed to be enjoyed along a circular walking path.75 views
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Across the moat from Hikone Castle is Umoregi-no-ya, a house where Lord Ii Naosuke lived and trained in various arts from age 17 to 32. 埋木舎72 views
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Scale model of Genkyuen Garden next to Hikone Castle at the top of the picture. Garden has a large pond.72 views
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Island in the pond.72 views
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East entrance to Genkyuen Garden. Small admission charged or you can buy a combination ticket with the castle admission.71 views
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71 views
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71 views
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Genkyu-en is a Japanese garden next to Hikone Castle. It was built as a castle garden in 1677 by Ii Naooki, the fourth lord of Hikone Castle. Hakkei-tei Summer House Map70 views
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70 views
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70 views
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In spring, white herons nest in the high trees of Genkyuen Garden.70 views
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Genkyuen has miniature versions of Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi). This is one of them, modeled after the Seta Karahashi Bridge in Otsu.69 views
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About Rakurakuen Palace.69 views
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Rakurakuen or Keyali Goten palace has a few other buildings like the Jishin-no-Ma.69 views
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Across the moat from Hikone Castle is Umoregi-no-ya, a reclusive house where Lord Ii Naosuke lived and trained in various arts from age 17 to 32. 埋木舎68 views
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68 views
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Hakkei-tei68 views
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Tea house on Hosho-dai hill. This was used by the daimyo to entertain guests with good views of the garden. 鳳翔台67 views
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Hikone Castle67 views
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Always scenic to see Hikone Castle overlooking Genkyuen Garden.66 views
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Boat landing.66 views
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Inside Hosho-dai tea house. They actually serve tea for a fee. 鳳翔台66 views
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Entrance to Keyaki Goten Palace or Rakuraku-en. Completed in 1679 by the fourth castle lord Ii Naooki as a familiy residence. It took two years to build. It was highly admired for its beauty. 槻御殿66 views
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Hosho-dai 鳳翔台65 views
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Inside the entrance of Rakurakuen.64 views
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64 views
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Rakuraku-en or Rakuraku no Ma. In the 1800s, the 12th lord Ii Naoaki built an annex building called Rakuraku-en which faces the garden. 楽々園63 views
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Main building of Rakurakuen.62 views
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