EFFECTIVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONNAME: LOH MUN TONGSTUDENT ID: 0323680LECTURER: MR. RIDHWAN

Historical backgroundThe development of Kenroku-en started with the terrace across from the castle.• The 5th lord Tsunanori relocated the construction office back to the castle grounds

to build a villa for himself on the site as well as developing the garden around it. • This is said to have been the beginning of the garden development. The garden was

called "Renchi-tei garden" at that time. • The place was often used for different banquet occasions such as viewing the moon

or enjoying colourful maples. The Renchi-tei garden was deeply loved by the line of lords and old retainers, but it was nearly burnt down except for only a small part by the great fires in 1759.• It is the 11th lord Harunaga, who restored the garden. With Midori-taki waterfall

and Yugao-tei tea house built in 1774 and Uchihashi-tei tea house in 1776, the development of the garden was nearly completed.

• In the year of completion of Takezawa Villa, Lord Narinaga asked Shirakawa Rakuo to name the garden. He named it "Kenrokuen" after a garden combining the six attributes of a perfect landscape garden: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, watercourses and panoramas.• Lord Narinaga died two years after the completion of Takezawa Villa. On the site

where the villa was subsequently destroyed, the 13th lord Nariyasu expanded Kasumigaike Pond and added some winding streams to harmonized the garden.• Kenroku-en was fully opened to the public in 1874.

Historical background

Kenrokuen covers over 25 hectares and contains roughly 8750 trees and 183 species of plants in total.

The pond is located almost in the center of Kenroku-en, and is the biggest pond in the garden.

It is 5,800 square meters in area and 1.5m deep at the deepest point.

People can enjoy different landscapes in each season while strolling around the pond.

The pond is surrounded by many famous features in the garden.

KASUMIGA-IKE

The fountain water comes from Kasumi-ike pond, and is spurted by the natural pressure.

The fountain shoots 3.5 high, but it depends on the surface level of Kasumiga-ike pond.

The fountain is said to have been developed to send water to the secondary closure of the castle.

It is said to be the oldest fountain in Japan.

FOUNTAIN

Flying Geese Bridge (Gankō-bashi), made of eleven red stones, laid out to resemble geese in a flying formation

The monument has the 5-m tall statue of Yamatotakeru-no-Mikoto (the legendary hero) in the center and the monument for the war dead on the left.

It is dedicated to the soldiers who died in the Seinan battle. It was erected in 1880 and is believed as the first bronze statue in Japan.

MEIJI MONUMENT

Yugao-tei,Gourd Tea House

Uchagashi-tei tea house

Shiguretei Tea House

During winter, the park is notable for its yukitsuri , which is ropes attached in a conical array to carefully support tree branches in the desired arrangements, thereby protecting the trees from damage caused by heavy snows.

KENROKUEN GARDEN (LANDSCAPE GARDEN)• It is a strolling-style landscape garden with the characteristics of a

typical landscape garden of Edo Period.• Kenroku-en was designated a National Site of Scenic Beauty in 1922. • It was rated higher to a National Site of Special Scenic Beauty in 1985,

thus gaining the most honorable rank equivalent to a National Treasure.

Plum grove garden

Paths

Paths became an integral part of Japanese gardens with the introduction of strolling and tea gardens.

Strolling gardens feature circular paths constructed of stepping stones, crushed gravel, sand or packed earth, which are carefully prescribed to lead visitors to the best views of the garden.

Winding paths also serve to segregate different areas, such as an isolated grove or hidden pond, from each other so that they may be contemplated individually.

Packed earth paths lead through Kerokuen

Borrowed scenery

Borrowed scenery (shakkei) is the concept of integrating the background landscape outside the garden into the design of the garden.

Both, natural objects such as mountains and hills and man made structures such as castles, can be used as borrowed scenery.

In modern times, skyscrapers have become a (usually) unintentional borrowed scenery for some gardens in the cities.

Kerokuen includes nearby kanazawa castle as borrowed scenery

Lanterns

Lanterns come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have been a common element of Japanese garden design throughout history.

They are usually made of stone and placed in carefully selected locations, such as on islands, at the ends of peninsulas or next to significant buildings, where they provide both light and a pleasing aesthetic.

Lanterns are often paired with water basins which together make up a basic component of tea gardens.

This stone lantern is emblematic of Kenrokuen. This lantern has two legs, which is said to resemble Kotoji, the bridge on a koto.

It is a modified version of the Yukimi Lantern, which lights up the surface of the water.

Kotoji stone lantern

Water basins

Many gardens contain stone water basins (tsukubai), which are used for ritual cleansing, especially ahead of tea ceremonies.

The basins vary from simple depressions in uncut stone to elaborate carved stone creations, and are usually provided with a bamboo dipper for scooping up water.

These days they often appear as a decorative addition more than for a practical purpose. Water basins are an essential element of tea gardens and are often paired with lanterns.

This hand basin is carved in relief of Hakuga, the renowned koto player.

The basin placed by the veranda of Yugao-tei tea house with 45cm in height and 85cm in diameter. It was made by Goto Teijo, the renowned metal worker invited by the 5th lord from Kyoto.

Hakuga dankin hand basin

References• http://buffaloah.com/a/virtual/jap/kanaz_kenro/kenro.html• http://planetden.com/nature/place-religious-wonders-kenrokuen-japan• http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2099_elements.html• http://archinect.com/blog/article/22227945/kenrokuen-garden-kanazawa• http://www.mustlovejapan.com/subject/kenrokuen_garden/• http://www.pref.ishikawa.jp/siro-niwa/kenrokuen/e/point.html

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