Shurakuen Garden 衆楽園

You can enjoy strolling around this garden during any season, where you will always find people, both locals and visitors, soaking up the relaxing and tranquil grounds throughout the day.

You can reach the garden by train and then by taxi or on foot. You can also rent a car.

Catch a train from Okayama Station to Tsuyama Station. It will take about 70 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the type of train and time of day. From there, it's about a 25-minute walk to the garden. Renting a car from Okayama City is a great option, giving you more freedom to use Tsuyama City as a base, from which you can drive to Mimasaka City, Maniwa or Tottori City . There are a number of car rental companies near Okayama Station.

Many trees, shrubs, and flowers are planted around the large pond, which is the central focus of this garden. In spring, cherry blossoms, and in summer, water lilies crowd the pond between the four small islands. Fall brings fiery reds and yellows as the tree leaves change their colors, and in winter, snow covers the grounds.

This garden was used by the feudal lord of the area to entertain visiting dignitaries. It was also a place where the feudal lord would retire to contemplate his next moves.

The garden buildings have been carefully reproduced to give you the most authentic experience of what the garden was like when it was created between 1655 and 1657.