Your favorite Japanese Garden?

This thread is exactly what the heading states, what is your favorite Japanese garden?

I've included several different types of gardens to choose from. No need to fill in all, just those you have an answer for.

Your Favorite Garden:
Favorite Hidden Gem:
Favorite Temple Garden:
Favorite Flower Park:
Favorite Seasonal Garden:
Favorite Cherry/Plum Blossom /Autumn Garden:

I will fill in mine eventually. For the hidden gem or not well known gardens, including a link would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance

Your Favourite Garden: Kenrokuen in Kanazawa.

Favourite Hidden Gem: Yoshikien in Nara. Most people visit nearby Isuien, but Yoshikien is equally lovely and free for foreigners when you show your passport!

Favourite Temple Garden: Ginkakuji in Kyoto. Not ostentatious, beautiful in autumn, very pleasant and calming to walk through. I also like being able to glimpse the pavillion through the trees at various points.

Favorite Seasonal Garden: Tonami's Tulip park

Favorite garden: the one in Takamatsu on Shikoku. It blends so perfectly with the landscape around
Favorite temple garden: the zen garden in a small temple just outside if the main shrine in Dazaifu. Zen plus nature. Not so ascetic as the one in Ryoanji.
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.nl/2017/11/day-55-dazaifu-to-fukuok...

grrrr..... The temple you mentioned was closed the day I visited Daizaifu....

Double Grrrr. It was also closed when I visited.

Favourite: That's close between Ritsurin in Takamatsu or Korakuen in Okayama

Hidden gem, both stone gardens at temples. Raikyuji in Bitchu-Takahashi http://raikyuji.com/ but I also really like Ryotanji in Hikone

i have been to all mayor gardens in japan with exception of Sengan-en and others in Kyushu (coming up next trip to fill the gap). the most favorite is, as mentioned in the other thread, Yushien so far.

if you read tripadvisors, you will see that there are similar comments from other people: of those who have seen many gardens, yushien is considered the best
https://www.tripadvisor.at/Attraction_Review-g298136-d1425203-Reviews-...
(the only bad comments are from people who failed to raise the flowers that they bought there or the ones that complain about its remoteness or where people came during closing time)

yushien is not very big, but makes that up in beauty.

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Maybe not a real garden, but the most entertaining park (and also pretty unknown to tourist) is "Site of Reversible Destiny Yoro Park". see http://bit.ly/2t4rqfO for what i am talking about

This was a bit of a hard one for me - as I've forgotten most of the gardens I have visited. As such, I have tried my best to remember the garden's which I have visited.

Your Favorite Garden: It's between Ritsurin in Takamatsu and Sankeien in Yokohama
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-2484 (Takamatsu)
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-2205 (Sankeien in Summer)
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-960 (Sankeien in Hanami)

Favorite Hidden Gem: Nanrakuen Garden - Uwajima & Nakazubansho Garden - Marugame
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-2507 (Uwajima)
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-2514 (Marugame)

Favorite Temple Garden: Shinnyodo Temple, Kyoto (Koyo only)
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1377

Favorite Flower Park: Gunma Flower Park
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1598

Favorite Seasonal Garden: Mifuneyama Rakuen Gardens, Takeo, Saga
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-2697

Do note that my photography (specifically choosing where to take photos) was limited in many of these posts....

I too am fortunate to have visited many gardens in Japan including the major ones such as Ritsurin, Korakuen, Kenrokuen, Adacchi Museum of Art and Sankeien. I too agree that Yushien in Matsue is more beautiful than these even though I visited there on a wet day! Matsue is well worth a detour with many other attractions as well. The Shugakuin Imperial Villa in Kyoto (available as a free pre-booked tour only) is also great.

However I have been to another garden which is my favourite, a definite hidden gem. It is called Suishin and is located in Oiwake, around 20 minutes from Akita city. It is in one section of the large Koizumigata Park which also houses the Akita Prefectural Museum. The garden itself is long and narrow, which is great for capturing reflections. At the head of the garden there is a waterfall over moss covered rocks, the water then winds over a pebbled white river bed into the first of two large ponds. It is perfectly set amongst tall lush trees.

The garden is fenced but was free entry! There were only a few locals around and three gardeners (who deserve the highest praise) so it was easy to get lost in the tranquillity. The whole grounds were immaculate. There was only a small snippet about the garden in a brochure I had for Akita, but the city should promote it as a highlight.

As for temple gardens the moss garden at Chikurinji in Kochi takes you into another world, and Kyoto's Konchi-in is a beautiful dry garden with a lovely green backdrop.

i love this thread, exactly what recommendations i search for.

to MG:
i didnt found Suishin anywhere (do you have the kanjis maybe?). Is it this park
https://goo.gl/xqCh1H
you are talking about?

I will be in Akita soon and defiantly want to check this out, sounds super interesting...

ah, found it, i think: https://goo.gl/7VytRu

I also noted the garden mentioned in Akita as I'll be visiting there in July. There is not too much to do in the city (it seems). Another possibly promising garden in Akita that I'll probably visit is this one.....

https://www.akita-yulala.jp/en/see/joshitei

Note that it's just reopened and is classified as a National place of scenic beauty

favorite hidden gem: Nanrakuen Garden in Uwajima

Yes, Glimpigumpi you found it. You can see the white river bed on google maps, but the few google photos are very dull and donft do it justice. No doubt my opinion is influenced by the day and season I was there. For the record it was mid morning on a sunny day in mid October and the Autumn colours were starting to come through. I hope the conditions are as nice when you visit. But if you are travelling by train be prepared to negotiate to maze of laneways in between the station and the park. You need to zig zag in a NW direction, turning lefts and rights.

In the meantime can you convince Japan Guide to find a place for Yushien in itsf top ten gardens, it is an injustice that it is omitted.

You can easily cover the sights of Akita City in a day, but whilst you are in the region try and visit Tazawako and Nyuto Onsen. The lake almost has a life of itsf own with swirls of mist rising from it and beautiful sunsets. They run bus tours around the lake which stop at a few spots along the way. Nyuto Onsen is a collective name for a group of onsens in that district, I visited Ganiba and Tsurunoyu which were out of this world. Tsurunoyu has accommodation but I stayed at a minshuku called Hutte Birke. The food was superb, it also has a nice onsen room and views over the lake. Yuko the proprietor was so nice, she was waiting for me at the bus stop even though she didnft know what bus I would be on and her house was in sight of the stop. Then the next day she drove me up to the next stop where I could store my bag whilst visiting the onsens for which she also booked buses for me.

There is also a beautiful gorge near Kakunodate called Dakigaeri. If you are travelling by public transport they run free buses from Kakunodate Station during Autumn leaf viewing season.

In all my travels in Japan visiting these places over a few days has been the highlight.

@MG: thanks for your recommendation. i will also be during august, so maybe same season as you had for the garden.

and about yushien, i am quite happy, that it is not so popular and i have the feeling it is fine, that it is not so much promoted, so it will stay such a beautiful calm place for some time. also i think it is good if it remains as a "secret spot" for those who are willing to dig into threads like this or who do their research...

About nyuto: yes, it is actually on my upcoming trip next year. (here is the route, if you are interested: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1bDqWMhiCT5YeQyTL34X8YyqTdk...)
i intended to stay at Kuroyu though, but thanks for the hint with Hutte Birke (sounds German?) i will definatly check it out

Dakigaeri Gorge: wow, thank you so much! this was even missing although until now hundreds of people have been adding to my route...

Ughhhh! That Dazaifu Zen Temple was closed also when I went there.

Your Favourite Garden: Kenrokuen in Kanazawa

Just confirming that I ended up changing my upcoming plans to visit Yuushuin in Matsue....

mfedley: and? i am curious if you liked it after all? :-)

I will know in around 5 weeks time....