Suizenji Park
Suizenji Park was a pleasant surprise as it’s easy to overdose on Japanese style gardens in Japan – there are so many! Lord Tadatoshi Hosokawa of Kumamoto started work on this garden in 1636 as a tea retreat. It includes a miniature Mt. Fuji and the 53 post stations of the Tokaido, the important road, which connected Edo with Kyoto during the Edo Period. Suizenji Park has been designated a historic site of scenic beauty by the Japanese government. The lakes in the park are packed with fish – the water is pure natural spring water for which Kumamoto is renowned. In fact, the whole of Kumamoto city the tap water in every household is mineral water!
It is picture perfect, more so than other parks I’ve visited. At the entrance to the park, you can savour Kumamoto delicacies such as a sweet potato-based snack called ‘Ikinari Dango’ served with green tea, a perfect compliment. I loved the natural purple colour and mild sweetness. After the snack, it was straight back to the car and the expressway direct to Dazaifu, the ancient governing capital of Kyushu.
