Place of Scenic Beauty "Genkyu-en Garden"

Genkyuｰen Garden is a former feudal lord’s garden located in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture. It forms part of the designated Special Historic Site of Hikone Castle and, together with the adjacent RakuRaku-en Garden, is recognized by the Japanese government as a Place of Scenic Beauty under the collective name Genkyu RakuRaku-en.

In 2015, it was also certified as part of the Japan Heritage titled “Lake Biwa and Its Water Heritage: A Landscape of Faith and Life.” The garden was originally created around 1678 by Ii Naooki, the fourth lord of the Hikone Domain during the early Edo period.

Centered around a vast pond, the garden features nine graceful bridges connecting small islands and inlets. Visitors can enjoy the ever-changing seasonal beauty reflected on the water’s surface — a masterpiece of traditional Japanese landscape design that harmonizes nature and artistry.