Korakuen one of the Top Three Gardens in Japan

Korakuen is ranked among the Top Three Gardens in all of Japan.

It is located in central Okayama City, close to Okayama castle, which is visible from within the garden.

The garden was completed in 1700 for the Daimyo Ikeda Tsunumasa.

Tsuda Nagatada spent 13 years designing and constructing it.

On my first visit in July of  2010 the lotuses were in full bloom in the Kayonoike Pond, one of many ponds in the garden.

The garden covers about 133,000 square meters in total with about 19,000 square meters of grass so is very park-like.

The largest of the ponds is the Sawanoike, said to resemble Lake Biwa.

The ponds are all connected by a 640 meters long stream.

Obviously it takes several hours to completely see all the sights....

Theer are quite a few structures scattered around the gardens.

The Kakumeikan Hall was originally built in Iwakuni. In 1949 a reconstruction was built here.

The Enyotei was the main building used by the Daimyo when visiting the garden. It was destroyed in WWII and was reconstructed in 1960.

The Renchiken Rest House was damaged in a typhoon in 1934 but survived the WW!! bombing.

The Ryuten Rest House has a similar history to the Renchiken.

Two shrines and a temple also stand within the garden.

In May Irises are in bloom.

A large grove of Maples are spectacular in the late Autumn.

Many of the rest houses are open to the public on a rotational basis...

Zoning laws around the garden are strict, unlike many gardens in Japan, so the modern city intrudes on the views much less.

Entry is only 400 yen