TravelWorld International Magazine, Spring 2022 - Spring into Travel

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“Entsukaku” the
Buddhist pagoda:
Center staged, and
illuminated when
night time falls ,
the three- story
pagoda occupies
the perfect point in
the garden’s.
At the Gojo waterfall:
The man made Yusuichi
pond is additionally
graced through means
of a waterfall.
This urban
emerald oasis has
pathways allowing
the traveler to be
totally immersed in
the lush greenery
of trees.
ater the property was passed on to
Baron Heitaro Fujita and, while still
respecting Mr. Yamagata’s wishes, he
decorated the grounds with
historical monuments coming
from all over Japan, especially
Kyoto and Toba. One monument
is a one-thousand-year-old pagoda, which
was transferred here from the Hiroshima
Mountains. Chikurin-ji Temple monks
remarkably built this three-story pagoda
without the use of a single nail! There was
also the Shiratama Inari Shrine, in the
center of the garden, but it was removed
from the grounds of Shimogamo in Kyoto,
in 1924. Other cultural treasures scattered
throughout the site include carved Taoist
and Buddhist images and over thirty
stone lanterns. A large pond, waterfall,
and natural spring are also part of the
garden, plus a 500-year-old sacred tree that
measures 4.5 meters around its base.
The history of Japan reveals itself on a
stroll through the garden, and every season
offers its own delights. In March and April,
you’ll see cherry blossoms and azalea, and
in May come the irises. June is the start of
the hydrangea season and at night you’ll
see fireflies. There are migrating birds
in the autumn months and the foliage
is breathtaking. In December, Camellia
Sasanqua, a species native to Japan starts
to bloom. Then January ushers in the plum
blossoms. From February to March, you’ll
see the Camellias Chinzan-so is famous for.
The hilly garden still extends today, over
nearly seven hectares, with camellias
continuing to grow at the foot of stone
lanterns and statues. This spectacular
garden is all lit up in the evenings with
beautiful lights designed to layer over each
other, creating a perfect color gradation.
The garden’s famous “unkai” (sea of
clouds) hover among the trees, and the
installed special nature sounds make for
an immersive experience. The garden is
stunning with walking trails and ponds with
koi carps, all surrounded by lush greenery.
It can easily take an hour or more, to visit
the entire garden.
he garden has many
Japanese traditional
features, among them a
red bridge (Benkei bridge), a
feature that was very popular
during the Edo period. The
Chinzan-so monument,
inscribed with writings by Yamagata,
is evidence of his great fondness
for the place. Dabbling as he did in
composing waka poems, Yamagata
had a cultural side evidenced by the
passion he devoted to create gardens.
Though the garden was destroyed
during World War II, reconstruction
soon began in 1948, under the
direction of Ogawa Eiichi, whose
vision of “building a green oasis in
Tokyo” included the transportation
of more than ten thousand trees. A
festive party on November 11th, 1952,
marked the grand opening of the
Chinzan-so as a garden restaurant. It
proudly celebrates its 70th anniversary,
this year.
Like most Japanese gardens, the
Chinzan-so garden can be enjoyed in
every season, but the most spectacular
times to visit are in spring for the
cherry blossoms and in fall, for
the autumn leaves. The settings of
this garden, with the quaint pond,
stunning pagoda, waterfall, lanterns
and images of Taoism and Buddhism,
all add to the exquisite beauty of this
lovely garden. It is clear that Old
Japan survives in this garden that is in
modern Tokyo, for as you enter it you
are transported back into a completely
different world. It is a world that
stays true to its former name and
original creator with its large variety
of camellias from throughout Japan.
The recent addition, at certain times
of the day, of the astonishing release
of artificial fog creates a mystical,
magical, and mysterious feel to the
place, a perfect illusion, giving it a
dreamy look that is absolute poetry in
the making!
The holy image
of the Kanzeon
goddess is
enshrined
in the three
storied Buddhist
pagoda and
destined to
protect the site.
All lit up at night,
“Fukuroku-ju”
god of fortune,
wealth and
longevity is
however one of
the seven gods
scattered around
the garden’s
paths.
Closest to the
Kanda River, this
cautiously designed
lower gate to the
Chinzan-so garden
leads to the Ryotei.
Evening Cherry
blossoms viewing in
Chinzan-so garden.
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