Kenrokuen Garden

▶ A historical cultural heritage reflecting the culture of Kaga's Million Stones
Kenrokuen is one of Japan's three famous gardens, along with Kairakuen in Mito and Korakuen in Okayama. As a representative daimyo garden of the Edo period, Kenrokuen was shaped over many years by successive lords of the Kaga clan. Located in the center of Kanazawa City, it is beloved by many residents and visitors from around the world, as it offers beauty throughout the seasons.

▶ A vast strolling garden featuring ponds, hills, and teahouses
Kenrokuen is comprehensively designed, incorporating elements of "strolling" style gardens along with various garden techniques from different eras. The strolling style garden is not one where the beauty is appreciated from a fixed viewpoint, like in temple halls or palace rooms, but rather maximizes the land's expanse, creating large ponds, artificial hills, and scattered teahouses, allowing visitors to explore and enjoy the whole garden. With several ponds linked by winding streams and hills created from excavated earth, it is often referred to as a "hilly, pond, and strolling garden."

▶ A reflection of the lords' aspirations for prosperity
Kenrokuen has been shaped over many years by several Kaga lords, yet the fundamental concept behind its creation seems to have remained consistent. This concept is based on Taoist ideals, representing a large pond as a vast ocean, within which lies an island said to be inhabited by immortals. The lords projected their wishes for longevity and eternal prosperity onto the garden. The first creator, the 5th lord Tsunanori, built three immortal islands—Hourai, Houjou, and Eishuu—in the Hyourai Pond. Similarly, the 13th lord Nariyasu also created Hourai Island floating in Kasumiga Pond.

▶ The epitome of excellent scenery known as "Rokushou"
Rokushou refers to six superior scenic qualities: [grandness], [serenity], [human effort], [antiquity], [water features], and [viewpoints]. The Song Dynasty text "Records of Famous Gardens in Luoyang" states, "It is impossible for a garden to embody all six excellent qualities. If it aims for grandness, serenity and depth will decrease; where human effort is apparent, antiquity will be lacking; and having many water features makes distant viewing difficult. Only Kōen embodies all six." Recognized as a garden with outstanding scenery, Kenrokuen was given this name in 1822, the 5th year of the Bunsei era, for possessing these six scenic qualities.

▶ Grandness and serenity
"Grandness" and "serenity" are opposing concepts. A spacious area is usually bright and open. In contrast, the peaceful realm of serenity possesses quietness and depth. In a record by an elderly official, it is noted, "Close up, it appears vast and broad, and also clear and open, yet it feels entirely like being within the mountains." Since that time, people have felt the coexistence of grandness and serenity in Kenrokuen.

▶ Human effort and antiquity
"Human effort" and "antiquity" are also contradictory. When humans intervene, the natural state is often lost. However, despite being said that "where there are small islands and beaches, there are often bridges," Kenrokuen has maintained "dense canopies of large trees" and "moss-covered spots too numerous to count." Now, visitors recognize that while human effort has touched every inch of the garden, they cannot help but feel its ancient charm.

▶ Water features and viewpoints
"Water features" refer to ponds and waterfalls. Water typically flows in low areas such as valleys. Thus, enjoying distant views while playing with water is not easy. However, in Kenrokuen, visitors can enjoy various water displays nearby while also viewing the Noto Peninsula and the Uchinada Sand Dunes in the distance, with the Hakusan Mountain range visible from Utsu Mountain and further on, the Ioh Mountain. The coexistence of "water features" and "viewpoints" is the greatest characteristic of Kenrokuen that cannot be imitated by other gardens.