Korakuen Garden - Okayama, Japan

Korakuen gardens is considered one of the three great gardens in Japan and is located in Okayama. Korakuen was built by in 1700 by Ikeda Tsunamasa who was the Lord of Okayama. The current garden layout was constructed in 1863. The garden suffered severe damage during the floods of 1934 and during World War II bombing in 1945, but has been restored based on period paintings and diagrams.
The gardens are designed to give the visitor a new experience at every turn. The gardens consists of vast lawns areas, tea plantations, several teahouses, rice fields and ponds. At the time our our visit the Karume azaleas were just finishing flowering but still were quite colourful.

Sawa-no-ike Pond

Enyo-tei House

Karume azaleas in bloom

Ornament on the lawn area

Hedge of Karume azaleas

Sawa-no-ike Pond

Yuishinzan Hill

View from Yuishinzan Hill 

Japanese Iris beginning to bloom

Tea plantation

Koi in the pond

Yuishinzan Hill with Okayama Castle in the background

Waterwheel  just near the pond