渉成園

About this photo

This photo shows the pond and trees of Shoseien, a garden a short way east of Higashi Honganji. In Kyoto Meishocho (Album of Famous Places in Kyoto), published in 1907, it appears on the same page as Higashi Honganji.

Shoseien began in 1653, when Sennyo, the 13th head of Higashi Honganji, laid it out as his retirement residence. The garden is said to have been designed by Ishikawa Jozan, an Edo-period man of letters. Because it was once surrounded by hedges of trifoliate orange (karatachi, also read kikoku), it is also called Kikokutei, and the name Shoseien was taken from a poem by the Chinese poet Tao Yuanming. It burned in 1858 and 1864 and was rebuilt from 1865 into the early Meiji era.

It was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 1936. The garden covers 3.4 hectares and centers on Ingetsuchi pond, with thirteen views chosen by Rai San'yo. It is now open all year round.

Glossary