Senjukaku Garden (Former Tokushima Castle Outer Palace Garden)

Overview

Senjukaku Garden is an Azuchi-Momoyama-style garden located in the ruins of Tokushima Castle. Created by Ueda Sōka, a samurai and tea master, it consists of two distinct gardens: a karesansui (dry landscape) garden and a tsukiyama-sensui (hill and water) garden. Its diverse and captivating scenery has earned it national recognition as a Place of Scenic Beauty. One of its defining features is the extensive use of "Awa no Aoseki," a green slate stone quarried in Tokushima Prefecture and historically used in construction. The garden incorporates Awa no Aoseki stones of various sizes, their unique color and texture enhancing the garden's ambiance. Another notable feature is its status as a tide-influenced garden. Seawater from the inner moat is introduced through an underground channel beneath the Sukiyabashi bridge, resulting in fluctuating water levels with the tides. This means the garden's appearance changes constantly, offering a unique spectacle each time you visit. Within the garden lies a 10.35-meter-long blue stone bridge. Its distinctive feature is a break in the middle, a testament to a legend claiming it was broken by Hashikura Iezane, the first feudal lord of the Tokushima domain in the Awa Province. This legend embodies Hashikura Iezane's strength and adds to the garden's historical depth. Senjukaku Garden is a beautiful blend of history and nature. If you're visiting the ruins of Tokushima Castle, be sure to stop by.