Yusui Teien Shimyosou (Spring Water Garden Shimyosou)

Overview

Yusui Teien Shimyosou, a spring water garden located in the Shimabara hot spring town, is a detached villa built from the late Meiji to early Taisho period. It was named "Shimyosou" by its owner, Ito Genzo, a doctor practicing at the time, because of its excellent views in all four directions. The garden, said to have been designed by a Zen priest in the early Showa period, features a pond teeming with vibrantly colored koi. Approximately 3,000 tons of clear spring water flow into the pond daily. The garden, utilizing abundant spring water, is breathtakingly beautiful and filled with serenity. Looking down at the garden from the slightly elevated main house, the main rooms and the garden become one, creating a unique and beautiful landscape found nowhere else. The main rooms project out over the pond on the front and left sides, providing verandas offering beautiful views throughout the year. Furthermore, a square pond located behind the main house contains four small islands, offering a different charm from the main garden. The clear water is bordered by low stone walls, the pond bottom is covered in sand, and stepping stones are arranged within the pond. Registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 28, 2008, and as a National Registered Important Cultural Property on April 25, 2014, it is a popular sightseeing spot located in the "Koi-no Oyogu Machi" (Town of Swimming Koi).