Guide
Furoen is a sprawling plum garden located on the eastern edge of the Kofu Basin in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Covering an area of approximately 50,000 square meters, the garden is masterfully designed to integrate the natural terrain, utilizing valleys and ponds. The landscape features a harmonious arrangement of about 3,200 ornamental plum trees, cherry blossoms, red pines, nandina, azaleas, and maple trees. This garden offers a different face for every season, but it is most famous as a premier destination for viewing plum blossoms that signal the start of spring.
The history of Furoen dates back to 1897, when it was opened as a private villa by Seiemon Okumura, the seventh-generation owner of a textile merchant in Kofu. The name "Furoen" is derived from an ancient Chinese legend: "Entering the Gate of Eternal Youth, one wanders among strange rocks and famous trees to reach the Hermitage of Longevity." Following this tradition, the entrance features a grand gate symbolizing the "Gate of Eternal Youth," while the pond is called "Shoyo Pond" and the nearby pavilion is named "Chosei-kaku," preserving a cultural landscape that lives in harmony with nature.
The garden features winding paths that feel like a natural maze, designed to showcase the terrain. Key highlights include: