Ninomaru Garden — Attraction in Kyoto

Ninomaru Garden (二の丸庭園) is a traditional Japanese landscape garden located within Nijō Castle in Kyoto, Japan. It was originally designed by Kobori Enshū, a famous architect and garden designer of the Edo period, under the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. The garden is part of the Ninomaru Palace complex and is considered a masterpiece of shoin-zukuri garden design, which emphasizes harmony between architecture and nature.

The garden features a large central pond with three islands, symbolizing Horai-san (Mount Penglai), a legendary island in Chinese mythology representing immortality. The pond is surrounded by carefully arranged stones, manicured pine trees, and winding pathways, creating a perfect balance of asymmetry and natural beauty—a key principle in Japanese garden aesthetics. Stone bridges connect the islands, enhancing the garden’s serene and timeless atmosphere.

Ninomaru Garden was restored in the 20th century, preserving its original Edo-period design. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts visitors who admire its seasonal beauty, especially during the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons. The garden exemplifies Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics, emphasizing simplicity, imperfection, and the transient...

Redesigned in 1626 for the Imperial visit. It is a classical Shoin-Fukui design with a large central island symbolising paradise. The water fall for me was the centre piece of this serene garden. The water adds such a calming tranquil influence to it. There is also a pleasant small waterfall in the corner. This was my favourite garden...

The garden is within the Nijo Castle complex and is remarkably well designed, so to conceal the fact that you are within the walls of a fortress, and not in some park. It is also maintained to a perfection, which is not surprising...