Former Tokushima Castle Omotegoten Garden

This daimyo garden was created at the Omotegoten Palace of Tokushima Castle, where the Hachisuka lords of the Tokushima Domain lived. The Former Tokushima Castle Omotegoten Garden is believed to have been designed by Ueda Sōko, a samurai warrior and renowned tea master active from the Momoyama period to the early Edo period. It was designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 1941.

The garden is distinguished by its integrated design combining a dry landscape garden with a hill-and-pond garden. The dry landscape garden was created for the shoin reception room, while the hill-and-pond garden was designed for the living quarters. A notable feature is the extensive use of Awa blue stone, for which Tokushima is known. Visitors can view the powerful arrangements of large and small stones up close. The hill-and-pond garden is believed to have originally been a tidal garden filled with seawater, reflecting Tokushima Castle’s location near the sea at the time.

The garden also retains a natural-stone bridge measuring approximately 33 feet long. Together with the arrangements of Awa blue stone, it offers a close look at the garden’s bold use of stone. Located in Tokushima Central Park, the garden is next to the Tokushima Castle Museum. Visiting both provides insight into the history of Tokushima Castle and the Hachisuka family.