The Suizenji Jojuen Garden

The Suizenji Jojuen Garden

The Suizenji Jojuen Garden represents the Fifty-three Stages on the Tokaido highway.
The fresh springs in the garden release clean, cold water, which flows there from Mt,Aso via underground currents.
In 1636 Tadatoshi. the third lord of Hosokawa, began its construction as tea rerreat, and he also built a temple her for Priest Gentaku (a former Priest of Rakanji). This temple was called Suizenji.
This beautiful Momoyama style garden evolved during the reigns of the fourth and the fifuth lords. In all it took about 80 years to complete.
Jojuen was named after a character in poem written by Tao Yuanming.

IZUMI SHINTO SHRAINE

Izumi Shinto Shrine was built in 1878 and dedicated in recognition of the cultural moral and intellectual leadership of the successive Hosokawa rulers. Jojuen is the precinct of the Izumi Shrine.

KOKINDENJU ROOM

The first lord, Fujitaka(Yusai), was a master of traditional waka poetry and initiated Imperial Prince Toshihito the the secret of this classical style of poetry in this room.