Suizenji Jojuen Garden

Suizenji Jojuen Garden (水前寺成趣園) is a beautiful traditional Japanese garden located in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The garden’s construction was initiated in 1636 by Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the first feudal lord of the Kumamoto domain, and completed during the reign of his grandson, Hosokawa Tsunatoshi, the third lord.

The garden covers an area of approximately 73,000 square meters and features a large central pond surrounded by rolling hills, streams, waterfalls, and miniature representations of famous scenes along the Tokaido Road, an ancient highway connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto.

One of the most distinctive features of Suizenji Garden is its use of scale, with the miniature landscapes creating an illusion of distance and depth. Visitors can follow a path around the garden, passing by the various scenic spots, including Izumi Shrine, which enshrines the successive lords of the Hosokawa family and Kato Kiyomasa, a tea house called Kokin-Denju-no-Ma, which was relocated from Kyoto in 1912, and a Noh theater where Noh performances are regularly held.

Suizenji Garden is also known for its seasonal beauty, with cherry blossoms in the spring, colorful foliage in the fall, and snow-covered landscapes in the winter.

Getting there

From Kumamoto Station to Suizenji Jojuen Garden:

Train	Kumamoto Station ↓ Hohi Line ↓ 8 minutes (3 stops) Shin-Suizenji Station ↓ Walk about 11 minutes ↓ Suizenji Jojuen Garden (Cost 210 yen)
Walk	About 1 hour (4.6 km)

Details

Hours	8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Reception closes at 4:30 PM.
Admission	Adults: 400 yen Children: 200 yen
Phone	+81 96-383-0074
Address	8-1 Suizenji Koen, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto, 862-0956
Official Website	http://www.suizenji.or.jp/