HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Suizenji Jojuen Garden
Take in ever-changing views of this traditional Japanese garden and Kumamoto sightseeing destination
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Suizenji Jojuen Garden was created by Hosokawa Tadatoshi, who took control of Higo (Kumamoto) Domain in 1632. He built a Buddhist temple called Suizenji and a teahouse here in the 1630s, and in 1929 the garden was nationally designated as a Historic Site.
As visitors stroll around the garden, they can enjoy the beauty of each season by looking out at the submerged stones and undulating artificial hills, as well as the beauty of Kumamoto’s groundwater as it bubbles up into the garden’s central pond from the aquifers beneath Aso. There is also the Kokindenju-no-Ma Teahouse, moved here from Kyoto’s Imperial Palace about one hundred years ago, where anyone can sit and take in the gorgeous view while enjoying matcha green tea and traditional Japanese confections.
At the Izumi Shrine, where the Hosokawa lords of Kumamoto Castle’s feudal past are enshrined, there is a festival held every spring and fall with dedicated events, such as Noh performances and traditional horseback archery. The garden is also popular as a cherry blossom viewing spot, since the flowers here bloom especially magnificently every spring.
How to get there
From Hakata Station, take the Kyushu Shinkansen to Kumamoto Station (about 40 minutes). Next, take the city tram to Suizenji Park, from which the garden is a 4-minute walk, or the JR Hohi Line to Shin-Suizenji Station, from which it is a 10-minute walk.
8-1 Suizenji Koen, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto-ken
