Guide
Nakatsu Banshoen is a sprawling 5-hectare stroll-style garden located in Nakatsu, Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture. Created during the Edo period by order of Kyogoku Takayori, the lord of the Marugame Domain, the garden is a masterpiece where natural beauty and man-made artistry blend seamlessly. The centerpiece is the Hakkei Pond, designed to resemble Lake Biwa, allowing visitors to enjoy a scenic walk around its perimeter. The site also features the Marugame Museum, making it a rich cultural destination where you can appreciate Western paintings and ceramics alongside the traditional Japanese landscape.
The garden's history dates back to 1688. It was designed with the motif of Lake Biwa in Omi Province, the ancestral home of the Kyogoku clan, the lords of Marugame. The pond features islands that represent the "Eight Views of Omi" (such as sails, geese, snow, and moonlight). The name