Himeji 姫路
好古園
Kokoen (好古園, Kōkoen) is a relatively recently constructed Japanese style garden, which was opened in 1992 on the former site of the feudal lord's west residence (Nishi-Oyashiki). It consists of nine separate, walled gardens designed in various styles of the Edo Period. Among the gardens are the garden of the lord's residence which features a pond with a waterfall, a tea garden where visitors can enjoy green tea, a pine tree garden, a bamboo garden and a flower garden.
Getting there and around
Kokoen Garden is next to Himeji Castle, a short walk west of the castle's main gate (Otemon Gate). From Himeji Station, it can be reached in a 20 minute walk or five minute ride by bus(210 yen one way) or taxi (about 800 yen one way) along the broad Otemae-dori Street, which leads straight from the station to the castle and garden.
The design and supervision of Edo Period KOKO-EN was under the supervision of Professor Makoto Nakamura of Kyoto University. KOKO-EN's nine different size gardens are based on the original layout of historical residences and passage-ways.
The garden’s passage-ways are traditional mud walls, called “Tsuiji-bei”, with roof-tiles where you will see beautiful wooden gates like “Yashiki-mon” (gate to “The Lord's Residence”) and “Nagaya-mon”, a traditional style gate with two guard-rooms. Also, there is “Kassui-ken” Restaurant and “Cho-on-sai” (“The Guest House”) connected by a “Covered Corridor Bridge”, of traditional design, made of Japanese Cypress wood. You can visit “Tea Ceremony House” called “Souju-an”, which is a “sukiya-zukuri” style structure with design and construction supervised by “Sen Soshitsu”, The 15th Urasenke Grand Tea Master.
KOKO-EN was named after “Koko-do”, the name of the Provincial School for Literary and Military Training which was first established (1692) by the samurai “Sakai Clan”in current Maebashi City, Gumma Prefecture. This military-school was later moved to HIMEJI CASTLE by Lord Tadazumi Sakai when he was given command of “Himeji Feudal Domain” and HIMEJI CASTLE (1749).
During Lord Sakai's reign at HIMEJI CASTLE, he continued to support and expand “Koko-do” into an important military-school in Himeji, which had been located in 1842 at the area west of HIMEJI CASTLE of what is now KOKO-EN Garden.
The importance of Lord Sakai's contribution to the success of “Koko-do” at HIMEJI CASTLE is reflected in the name “KOKO-EN” as seen on the wooden sign shown at the entrance gate of KOKO-EN. These special Kanji Characters were written by the former Tokyo University Professor, Mr. Reimon Yuki, the son of Gimon Yuki, head of the tutoring school later opened by Mr. Atsunori Matsudaira a supervisor of “Koko-do” in Himeji.
The “Oyashiki no Niwa” is the largest garden in KOKO-EN. In the “Oyashiki no Niwa” garden, about 250 colorful Nishikigoi* can be seen swimming in a large pond that is reminiscent of the Seto Inland Sea.
*Nishikigoi are popular in Europe, the U.S. as appreciation and in Asia as a good-luck charm for lovers. The colorful patterns of red and yellow Koi are said to be “swimming jewels.”
また庭園内には、築地塀・屋敷門・長屋門や渡り廊下で結んだ「活水軒」「潮音斎」をはじめ、裏千家第十五代家元千宗室氏の設計・監修による本格的数寄屋建築の茶室「双樹庵」を配しています。
この庭園は池や水の流れで結ばれた池泉回遊式庭園ですが、最大の特徴は世界遺産・国宝姫路城を借景としていることです。
姫路城西の丸一帯の豊かな原始林を借景とした庭園は、歴史と自然が調和した優美な景観を創り上げています。
好古園」の愛称は、藩校「好古堂」に因んで命名されました。
江戸時代最後の姫路藩主であった酒井家は、前任地上野国厩橋(群馬県前橋市)において元禄5年(1692)に藩校「好古堂」を開校しました。寛延2年(1749)酒井忠恭が姫路藩へ移封されたとき、藩校も姫路城内大名町東南総社門内の元藩会所跡に移設されました。
その後、好古堂は桜町大手門前南側を経て、天保13年(1842)に酒井忠学は、「好古堂」を大手門西側(現在の好古園入ロ付近)に移転拡張しました。このとき、寄宿舎を私学校「仁寿山饗」から移築し、演武場などを新築し、藩校の規模を拡充して文武の基礎を固め、両道の振興を図りました。
好古園入ロの扁額は、酒井藩校「好古堂」の督学であった松平惇典が後に開いた、家塾の塾頭であった結城義聞の子息で元東京大学教授･結城令聞氏の書です。
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น