Sorakuen Garden to be happy and enjoy together

Sorakuen Garden (相楽園) is only one Japanese garden in Kobe located close to Hyogo Prefectural Office in the center of the city. It is an oasis of the busy city.  The name of the garden is from the words in the old Chinese book 和悦相楽 (わしてよろこびあいたのしむ) which means  "Let's be happy and enjoy together."

The foundation of Sorakuen Garden was laid in 1885 as a part of Taijiro Kodera’s residence  and completed in 1911.  A magnificent mansion and other buildings once stood on the grounds, but the fires caused by the air raids during WWII left only the European-style stable and the surrounding walls and gates.  Kobe City took over the garden in 1941 and opened it to the public under the name "Soraku-en".  Later on, the two historically important assets,  Hassam House and Funa-yakata (舟屋形), were moved to this site to be preserved.

This is one of the three gates and is used as the current entrance.  Three gates are made of "keyaki", Japanese tree of the genus Zelkova.

Visitors are first welcomed by a massive, impressive “Big Camphor (大楠)” which is estimated to be 500 years old.  Camphor tree is designated as the Tree of Kobe Citizen.  

The Garden consists of open grass areas and typical Japanese “stroll-garden (池泉回遊式庭園)” which consists of several paths that circle a central pond.

ceremonial tea room Kanshin-tei/浣心亭

People enjoy various different views while strolling around the pond along the paths with ups and downs or walking over the pond via stepping stones or bridges.

 

In spring azaleas and young leaves colorfully express themselves.

About 200 pine trees including Japanese black pines add spirited and dignified atmosphere to the view.  Among all the pine trees I know, I like Japanese black pine best for its rich dark green needle-like leaves and beautiful black colored bark.  It is native to the coastline of Japan and is resistant to salt damage. 

I feel like each twisted black pine is a dragon and each dragon makes up a whole giant dragon in the garden.  Changing light and shadow makes the dragon look alive.



Here it is, a dragon!

Later I learned that there are rare pine trees named "Hakusho (白松)" , or Pinus bungeana, native to China, featured with white bark and trefoil.  I should've known it.

Rustling sound of the stream is constantly heard.

Funayakata, an Important Cultural Property

Funa-yakata was originally a cabin of Kawagoza-bune (川御座船), a houseboat that was used for pleasure cruises by a feudal lord of Himeji.  It is thought to have been constructed between 1682 and 1704.   This is the last Kawagozabune in existence.

The structure is a two-story wooden building with a gabled roof thatched with layers of Japanese cypress bark.  It is highly decorative: all of the wooden sections of the building are treated with lacquer and the ends of he horizontal beams and rafters are decorated with gold leaf.  

It went through three times of dismantling and reconstructing in different places.  After two person's individual efforts to preserve, it was donated to Kobe City in 1980.   

a miniature of "kawagoza-bune", an excursion houseboat 

grass plaza

Open grass area for a garden party was incorporated into the east of the garden.

the gateway to the grass plaza

the stable of old Kodera residence, an Important Cultural Property

Kenkichi Kodera, a former Mayor of Kobe and former owner of Sorakuen, had this stable constructed around 1910.  The building has many interesting features including a circular cupola, a steep roof, dormer windows, rich gable ornaments, and the shape of L structure.  

The Hassam House built around 1902, an Important Cultural Property 

The Hassam House served as the residence of Mr. K. Hassam, an Anglo-Indian trader. This is a typical colonial-style architecture, utilizing a central corridor and verandas, a style that was favored by foreigners who live in Kobe during the Meiji Era (1868-1912).  It was brought over from Kitano (areas of historical foreign residences) and reassembled here.

The climate has been unnerving both weather-wise and in general atmosphere and situation.   Regarding the weather, it has been unstable and unusual big scale tornades (which is called “tatsumaki” in Japanese meaning “whirling and soaring dragon”) caused tremendous damages and destruction in Kita-Kanto area.  While problems do exist in various respects, our lives go on and on accepting the negative outcome grudgingly.   Keeping the problems in mind, we need time "to be happy and enjoy together" not to be driven by the fears or worries and then to face the world again somewhat refreshed.