Shukkeien garden [縮景園]

Shukkeien is a Japanese garden.

It is located about 0.5 km east of Hiroshima Castle and about 0.5 km west of Hiroshima station.

The first lord of Hiroshima Clan, Asano Nagaakira (1586-1632) built this garden in 1620.

The garden was destroyed by fire in 1758, but the new garden was rebuilt.

Since Meiji Period (1868-1912), it became the villa of Asano family.

It was opened to the public in 1913, and Asano family donated this garden to Hiroshima Prefecture.

It is said that the garden was modeled on the scenery of Xi Hu (West Lake) in Hangzhou city in China.

A large pond is in the center of the garden, and several small islands are set up in the pond.
Some hills are built around the pond, and tea houses, arbors and bridges are dotted.

In 1945, this garden was devastated by A-bomb.

It was used as a shelter, then it was crammed with the refugees.
Many of them died without treatment, then the dead bodies were buried under the dead trees by blast of A-bomb.

The current garden was restored from 1949, and was re-opened in 1951.

And a memorial to the dead people here was set up by the trees in 1988.

Shukkeien

How to get here

About 12 minutes walk from JR Hiroshima station.

Other Tourist Attractions in Hiroshima city

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