Another of my recommended must-see destinations when visiting Japan is the beautiful Sankeien Gardens (translation: three creek gardens). Situated on 175,000 square meters of land, this traditional Japanese-style garden is open to the public to enjoy. It is especially popular in autumn when the leaves change color. Its cherry and ume blossoms are vibrant and a popular backdrop for Japanese wedding photos. I was fortunate to see a bride and groom in traditional wedding garments. They gladly posed for photos when people asked. It was nice to share their joy. This young couple both looked so happy and beautiful.
Visitors can wander amongst the ponds, streams and paths first created in 1908. It originally took six years to be designed and built by silk trader Tomitaro Hara, and was donated by the Hara family to the City of Yokohama in 1953.
No matter what time of year you visit, there are always blossoms on display.
The Garyobai plum grove has old trees planted at the beginning of the gardens. The trees have unusual shapes, like dragons sleeping.
More than a garden, there are historically significant buildings that Tomitaro moved from different locations across Japan and rebuilt in the gardens. Ten of them have been declared by the Japanese Government as ‘Important Cultural Property’ and three are ‘Tangible Cultural Properties’.
The Tōmyō-ji former three-storied pagoda was relocated in 1914. It was originally built in Kyoto in 1457. (Important National Cultural Property) is visible from any point of the garden and is its symbol.
The buildings are well signposted in both Japanese and English. They also have q-codes for audio listening located on nearby signboards. The Main Hall of the Former Tomoji Temple is one of the Important Cultural Assets. Built in the mid 1500s in Kyoto, the hall was the central part of the temple, with a Buddist statue, the principal object of worship, enshrined there. It was damaged by a typhoon shortly after World War II and had been left disassembled after that. In 1987, it was relocated to Sankeien, as the three story pagoda from the same temple had been in 1914. The hall underwent many changes in the course of its history. When it was relocated to Sankeien, it was completely restored to its original form. - information from sign post at the building
The Juto Oido Hall of the Former Tenzuiji Temple ‘was originally constructed in 1591 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the leader of samurai at the end of the 16th century, to cover a Juto, a stone monument signifying his wish for health and long life for his mother. The engraved doors, pillars and other parts were colorfully painted originally, but only hints of that remain. The Tenzuiji Temple stood on the premises of the Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto, but was abandoned in 1874. The hall was moved to Sankeien in 1905, the first relocated building in the inner garden.’