Sengan-en Garden, also known as Isoteien, is a must-see for all nature lovers. Located along the coast, north of downtown Kagoshima, this Japanese style landscape garden will make for the perfect afternoon retreat as you explore the tranquil grounds surrounded by small ponds, streams, shrines, and bamboo groves.
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Sengan-en Garden
One of the garden’s most prominent features is its use of Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay in the background to enhance the overall beauty of the garden. Whatever the season, Sengan-en has you covered with a variety of trees and plants that make the garden scenery breathtakingly beautiful in all four seasons. There are many cherry trees in Sengan-en, especially of the early flowering Kanhizakura variety, which bloom as early as late January. Other cherry tree varieties provide flowers through mid-April.
Sengan-en Garden
Sengan-en has something for everyone. Apart from the indulging presence of nature, the gardens have buildings and historical elements recognized as World Heritage Sites. Not too far from the entrance gate, inside Senganen’s paid area, you’ll see the foundations of a reverberatory furnace. There is also a grand stone building which is home to the Shoko Shuseikan Museum which highlights the early efforts of industrialization by the Shimazu clan. It is interesting to note that this building used to function as one of the nation’s first western-style machinery factories.
Sengan-en Garden
At the center of the garden, you’ll come across the Iso Residence which, along with the rest of the garden, was originally built in 1658. The current building which stands today however, only dates back to a mid-1880s reconstruction. The Iso Residence was the main home of the Shimazu family at the beginning of the feudal age. Its rooms are currently preserved to look the same as they were used in the late 1800s.
Sengan-en Garden
The Shuseikan Industrial Complex was constructed on the Senganen grounds towards the end of the Edo Period as part of early efforts to produce iron for shipbuilding and casting cannons. However, a large part of the industrial complex is no longer standing.
Sengan-en Garden
Another World Heritage-listed site is the Ijinkan, which housed engineers working on a vast array of groundbreaking projects from abroad. You’ll find Ijinkan just a stone’s throw away from Senganen’s main site. Ijinkan is accessible by the public but will cost you an extra 200 yen.
Sengan-en Garden
For 1,000 yen, you can explore the beautiful sites of Senganen from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The garden can be reached by the Kagoshima City View bus to Senganen-mae bus stop, which will set you back 190 yen per ride or 600 yen for a one-day pass with departures every 30 minutes.
- Sengan-en
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- Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Yoshinochou 9700-1
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View All- Old Kagoshima Spinning Engineers' House (the Foreigners' Residence)
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- Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Yoshinochou 9685-15
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