Kunen-an Garden

Overview

Kunen-an Garden was originally built in the Meiji era as a villa for Yataro Itami, a prominent businessman from Saga. Under the guidance of Buddhist monk, Hotori, the garden was completed over nine years, starting in 1900. It features a traditional Japanese-style house and a 6,800 square meter garden that incorporates the Tsukushi Plain as a borrowed landscape. The garden is planted with azaleas and Japanese maples, and the natural trees and carpet of Japanese cedar moss create a beautiful atmosphere. In the fall, the entire garden is dyed in vibrant reds and yellows, attracting many tourists. Saga Prefecture has formulated a preservation and utilization plan to address the deterioration of the buildings. This plan proposes restoring the growth of the maple trees, restoring the garden paths, and restoring the view. In the long term, the goal is to make the garden open to the public at all times and to allow for active use for food and beverage services, events, and more.