20th March 2012
Suizenji Garden is one of the famous tourist spots in Kumamoto City. However, I was never tempted to go there until a taxi driver kept recommending Suizenji Garden to me after he knew that I lived in Kumamoto when I went for a business trip in Oita. So, on a windy day, I went to this garden. It is near the Suizenji Garden Tram Stop. However, I went by car because a colleague brought me there. There's nothing special with the entrance, just a simple stone signage.
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| entrance to Suizenji Garden |
There was not much tourists in the garden, I think most of the people came to pray at the temple, Suizenji 水前寺 (the 'ji' means shrine). My colleague got me a talisman from the temple wishing me luck in my driving license test, by that time, I already failed the test three times, somehow miraculously, on my forth attempt, I passed the test. Maybe the talisman helped after all.
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| Suizenji 水前寺 |
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| Toori 鳥居 |
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| temizuya 手水舎 - the place to watch the hands before entering the temple |
The garden was meticulously cared for, like many other famous gardens in Japan. The pond was crystal clear, koi fish in the water, ducks on the pond, the plants were shaped to a pre-defined shape, etc. A very "Japanese" garden. For this kind of view, I think the most suitable time to visit is during summer where everything was in lush green.
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| Suizenji Garden |
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| Suizenji Garden |
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| Suizenji Garden |
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| Suizenji Garden |
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| Suizenji Garden |
Well, that time I went was not the sakura season and not the red leaves season. But, I still managed to see some blossoming Japanese plum flowers, not full bloom type though.
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| Plum flower |
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| Plum flower |
In the garden, there were some bronze sculptures, places designated for some famous people from Kumamoto. Well, I guessed after reading some of the information on the information board, I understand a bit about the history of Kumamoto.
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| a signage honouring someone named Nagaoka |
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| bronze sculpture of someone from Hosokawa family 細川忠利 |
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| wild flowers |
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| Cicadas on a tree |
Lastly, the most famous spot in Suizenji Garden, the 'Mt. Fuji'. Since it's still early spring, the small hill was still bare without the grasses. The small Mt. Fuji has a very nice cone shape, hahaha! Only the volcanic mountains can have that kind of shape.
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| the most Iconic place in Suizenji Garden - the small 'Mt. Fuji' |
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