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Kairakuen suffered damage from the earthquake, but was repaired and fully reopened on February 7, 2012.
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Ranked among Japan's three finest landscape gardens, Kairakuen is most famous for its over three thousand plum trees. Kairakuen is located in Mito, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, one hour northeast of Tokyo by limited express train.
Kairakuen was built relatively recently in 1841 by the local lord Tokugawa Nariaki. Unlike Japan's other two great landscape gardens Kenrokuen and Korakuen, Kairakuen served not only for the enjoyment of the ruling lord, but was open to the public. Kairakuen means "park to be enjoyed together".
While worth a visit throughout the year, Kairakuen is particularly popular during the plum blossom season, which usually takes place from late February through March. The garden features a forest of 3000 trees of over one hundred different plum tree varieties with white, pink and red blossoms. The Mito Plum Festival (Mito Ume Matsuri) is held annually from February 20 to March 31.
Besides the plum trees Kairakuen also features a bamboo grove, cedar woods and the Kobuntei, a traditional Japanese style building. Like the whole park, the Kobuntei has always been open to the public and served educational and recreational purposes. A nice view of Kairakuen and nearby Senba Lake can be enjoyed from the building's top floor.
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