History of Kenrokuen Garden

[ The completion of Kenrokuen Garden ]

Many Noh actors invited from Edo and Kyoto stayed at Takezawa Palace, but after Narinaga's death, the 13th lord Nariyasu sent them all home. A record of negotiations held in 1830 about the use of old building materials from the torn-down Takezawa Palace tells us that the grounds were made into a garden during the demolition process. A large pond was dug, water was made to flow, and splendid trees were planted. The new garden was joined to Renchi-tei Garden, and in 1851, the present Kenrokuen Garden came into being.

Some of the building materials were salvaged and used for the 1863 construction of Narihiro's retirement villa, Seisonkaku, located beside Kenrokuen Garden.

Kasumiga-ike Pond, on the former site of Takezawa Palace

Seisonkaku, constructed with building materials from Takezawa Palace