Ritsurin Kōen took four generations of the Takamatsu Matsudaira clan over 100 years to complete, and its six ponds and thirteen sculpted hills are considered by many experts to represent the pinnacle of Japanese garden design. The garden was awarded a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, one of only a handful of gardens to receive the distinction. Unlike Kyoto's famous gardens, Ritsurin typically receives far fewer international visitors, allowing unhurried appreciation of its 350-year-old pine trees, moon-viewing pavilions, and the spectacular reflection of Mount Shuin in the mirror-calm ponds.
- Type
- Venue
- Category
- Culture
- Season
- Spring
- Month
- March–April (spring); October–November (autumn)
- Region
- Shikoku
- Prefecture
- Kagawa
- City
- Takamatsu
Highlights
- ◆Michelin three-star rating — Japan's most acclaimed strolling garden
- ◆350-year-old hand-pruned pine trees throughout 75 hectares
- ◆Kikugetsu-tei teahouse for matcha overlooking the main pond
- ◆Dawn entry for mist photography — remarkably uncrowded
- ◆Sanuki Folk Craft Museum within the garden grounds