And then...there was the Garden

The next day, after going to Himeji Castle, I read online that right next to the castle there was a famous and very beautiful garden. I was disappointed that I didn't know this sooner because I had spent so much time for the travel to Himeji that I didn't think I was going to go back so soon. I thought about it and figured, hey, might as well go back, visit the garden on a beautiful sunny day, and pick up another Yukata for my mom. :)

So I packed my day bag and hopped back on the train out of Tarumi and headed west. I got off at Himeji and walked straight over to where the shop with the Yukatas was. I was able to find two that were beautiful. One is a blue pattern and the other is silk with beautiful japanese scenery on it. They were so cheap and I couldn't resist buying both. I didn't know which one my mom would want more, so I figured I would give her a choice. 

Very pleased with my recent purchase, I headed toward the site of the garden, Nishi-Oyashiki-Ato Garden Koko-en. As I approached the entrance gate, I wondered how I could have missed this the first time around. It is not even two blocks away and I am sure you can see it's beauty from the top of the castle where I was just one day earlier. I was not upset, however, because each day is a new and different adventure and you never know what new things you will find or experience. 

I went to the clerk at the counter and paid my 200 Yen entrance fee. I wondered why there was a fee for the garden, since many gardens are free and small. Much to my delight, this was not just one garden, but many many gardens separated by walls and trees. As I approached the first Garden... Tsukiyama-chisen-no-niwa, (which literally translates to the garden with the hill and pond) I was in awe at it's beauty. It had waterfalls and stone bridges and was much larger than I thought the whole garden would be. There were giant carp in the water and it was so beautiful and peaceful. 

Every corner I turned and every new garden I entered was like a new experience and a whole new place. One signified the pine forests which are along the Seto Inland Seacoast (Matsu-no-niwa), one was a Garden of Flowers from the Edo period only (Hana-no-niwa), one had fifteen varieties of bamboo (Take-no-niwa), one was to remind visitors of the nature of the countryside of Japan (Nagare-no-hira-niwa), one was composed of deciduous trees (Natsuki-no-niwa), and two were a traditional Japanese gardens to represent nature on the small scale (Tsukiyama-chisen-no-niwa and Cha-no-niwa). 

The biggest garden, and the first that I went through, was the Oyashiki-no-niwa; the garden of the Lord's House. This garden had many elements. The had a circular spring style to it and had a background of Himeyama forest. The waterfall on the south side of the garden is meant to represent a fall of a deep valley. The fish, Carp, were reaching numbers of over 250.

There was even a traditional Japanese teahouse that served tea and cakes for 500 Yen(Souju-an) as well as a replica of a place where samurais gathered to protect Himeji Castle of attack(Musha-Damari) and a garden of seedlings(Nae-no-niwa).

I sat in this garden on a bench for a long time; what felt like hours. The sun was shining for two days in a row and my skin and my mind were both happy to feel it's warmth. The garden was also fairly empty because of the weekday I visited on, which made it much more peaceful and pleasant. I really felt relaxed and at ease with my thoughts there, which allowed me to write.  I love how inspiring small things in Japan often are. :)

This garden also has a great view of Himeji Castle and was really so beautiful. I am very pleased that I went back to experience this amazing garden. I will be more careful next time I travel because now I fear that if I do not keep my eyes open wide, I could miss something amazing less than too blocks away!