DISCOVER FUKUI

A 10-minute walk from Fukui Station and about 5 minutes from the ruins of Fukui Castle, Yokokan Garden is known for its harmony between the garden and the buildings in it. The villa inside is set on a large koi carp pond, with a number of stone “islands.” The garden wraps around the pond, with stone bridges, lanterns, stepping stones, and a small, detached teahouse-style pavilion. In late winter and early spring, the garden’s plum blossoms and wild cherry blossoms come into bloom. In October and November, the garden’s maple trees turn a deep red, and are lit up at night.

Yokokan Garden was built in the early seventeenth century as a villa for the Matsudaira family, the lords of the Fukui domain. The main structure is built in a formal style used at the time. One of the rooms inside was designed to provide a view of the moon, reflected in the pond as it rises and sets. 

During the Pacific War, the buildings were destroyed by fire in an air raid on Fukui, but the garden was designated a national scenic beauty spot in 1982, which led to its restoration based on instructions from 1823, and it was restored and opened to the public in 1993. The restoration was completed in 1993, and the garden was opened to the public. Visitors can enjoy the seasonal elegance of the garden, not only in the buildings and pond, but also in the gravel, stonework, and trees.

The garden has been ranked among the top Japanese gardens in the "Journal of Japanese Gardens," a specialized American magazine.