Kōko-en

　Kōko-en is a garden that has even been used as a filming location for period dramas. Although it tends to be overshadowed by Himeji Castle—one of Japan’s most iconic World Heritage Sites—it is one of my favourite Japanese gardens.

　It is a pity that tours tend to spend so much time at Himeji Castle, leaving little opportunity to visit Koko-en.

　Gardens that make use of ponds and flowing water are known as ‘strolling pond-and-stream gardens’, and they developed as daimyō (feudal lords who are subordinate to the shogun) gardens during the Edo period. The scenery changes as you move through the garden, allowing you to enjoy it in each of the four seasons.