(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.)
Today, in May 2026, I went to Kenrokuen Garden in Ishikawa, Japan. I have been there several times before.
Kenrokuen Garden is considered one of the three greatest gardens in Japan. It is a large Japanese-style strolling garden.
The predecessor of Kenrokuen Garden was created in the 17th century, which means the garden has a history of about 350 years. It received the highest rating of three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan.
In 2025, about 2.6 million people visited Kenrokuen Garden.
The garden has about 8,200 trees. There are also many kinds of flowers, such as camellias, sasanquas, azaleas, and fragrant olives. Kenrokuen has been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan. In spring, visitors can enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms.
Since I went there on a Sunday, there were many tourists. However, because the garden is large, it did not seem crowded.
I saw many foreign tourists in the garden. Some of them were visiting as part of a tour group.
I also saw two people sitting on a bench and painting flowers. I was impressed when I saw them. They wanted to paint the beautiful flowers. To me, their hearts were even more beautiful than the flowers themselves.
While I was walking through the garden, I heard a tourist say that this garden is one of the three greatest gardens in Japan and that it was wonderful.
I think it takes about one hour to see the entire garden.
I felt relaxed while walking through the spacious garden. There is a large pond in the garden, which is the most popular spot there.
The pond is large, and it made my mind feel wider too. The scenery was beautiful, and many people were taking pictures there.
I learned that ponds in Japanese gardens represent the ocean or rivers. Indeed, the pond in the garden looked like the ocean.
It is said that Western gardens are symmetrical and geometric. Humans are considered the creators of those gardens.
On the other hand, Japanese gardens are asymmetrical. Nature is the main character. Japanese gardens are designed to exist in harmony with nature.
Stones and moss are also important features of Japanese gardens. When you visit Japanese gardens, please pay attention to them.
I understood why Kenrokuen Garden is regarded as one of the three greatest gardens in Japan. In addition, the entrance fee is very reasonable.
Kenrokuen Garden is located in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Kanazawa also has many other tourist attractions, such as Omicho Market, which has more than 300 years of history; Higashi Chaya District, where the good old atmosphere of Japan still remains; Oyama Shrine; the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa; and Kanazawa Castle.