Chiran Samurai Residences Garden

The samurai residences that remain in the Chiran Samurai Residences Garden are believed to have been built during the time of Satashi Juuhachidaime Shimazu Hisamune (1732-1772). The district is divided by stone walls, and stone monuments (magatama) to ward off evil spirits and folding screens are placed at the entrance of the residences to prevent the inside from being visible. Chiran prospered as a base for Ryukyu trade during the Edo period, and many elements of Ryukyu culture can be seen in the samurai residences. The design of the buildings and gardens incorporates elements of Ryukyu culture and aesthetics. In addition, the Chiran Samurai Residences Garden has been designated as a "Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings" by the government, recognizing its beauty and historical value. The seven gardens open to the public have been designated as "Places of Scenic Beauty" by the government, allowing visitors to enjoy traditional garden beauty!

Located in the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden, the Nishio Sataro Garden is adjacent to the Chiran County Headman's Temporary Residence and covers an area of 208 square meters. The garden was created during the Bunka-Bunsei period of the late Edo period (1804-1829). The garden style is a large, trimmed, lotus-shaped stone arrangement with a dry landscape. A dry waterfall stone arrangement is located in the southeast corner of the garden, representing a high peak. The low and high trimmed Japanese black pine trees from this peak represent distant mountain ranges, creating a lively and beautiful atmosphere. Additionally, this garden is also known as the "Crane and Turtle Garden," with the high stone arrangements symbolizing cranes and the stone arrangements located by the river that flows into the sea symbolizing turtles. Furthermore, the combination of stones and azaleas is very clever, providing viewers with a beautiful sight. The Nishio Sataro Garden captivates viewers with its attention to detail and well-balanced arrangement, showcasing the beauty of Japanese aesthetics. By strolling through the garden, visitors can enjoy the rich nature and tranquil atmosphere. As part of the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden, this garden is a valuable presence that conveys the history and beauty of the region!

Sadata Naotada's garden, located in the Chiran Samurai Residences Garden, was created during the Kanbun era of the mid-Edo period (1741-1743) and covers an area of 275 square meters. The garden style is a large-scale, lotus-leaf-shaped, rock garden with dry landscape. Sadata Naotada's garden has the style of a mid-Edo period samurai residence. The garden is located on the north side of the main house, and a mound is built in one corner of the garden overlooking the Mother Hill. In the center of the mound stands a 3.5-meter-high standing stone, with many stone arrangements at the bottom, expressing a dry waterfall. This garden has an ink painting-like atmosphere that suggests a continental landscape, giving viewers a sense of tranquility and beauty. The arrangement of rocks and mounds is exquisite, creating a harmonious landscape throughout the garden. Sadata Naotada's garden is a valuable garden that conveys its historical value and beauty as part of the Chiran Samurai Residences Garden. For visitors, this garden will be a place to enjoy the appreciation of timeless beauty and a peaceful stroll.

Sadata Mifune Garden, located in the Chiran Samurai Residences Garden, was created during the mid-Edo period, in the Hōreki era (1751-1763). The garden covers an area of 446 square meters, making it the most luxurious and vast garden in the Chiran Gardens. The garden style is a large karikomi-style rock garden with dry landscape and lotus-shaped stones. At the entrance of Sadata Mifune Garden, there is a splendid gate characterized by overhanging eaves. In Chiran, a gate with overhanging eaves is a symbol of the main house. The garden features a dry waterfall and a man-made hill, on top of which stone lanterns are placed. On the flat ground, there are scattered rock arrangements made of huge rocks. When entering the garden, turning right leads to the front of the study. The main garden, which is centered around a waterfall, spreads out with a stone arrangement that continues for a long time. This landscape gives visitors a sense of strength and expansiveness. Sadata Mifune Garden is part of the Chiran Samurai Residences Garden and is known for its luxurious and magnificent garden. The vast grounds, beautiful rock arrangements, and the flow of the waterfall will enchant viewers and heal their hearts in the silence and rich nature.

The Hiraizumi Ryōichi Garden, located in the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden, was created in the first year of the Tenmei era (1781) in the mid-Edo period, and the study was restored during the Kaei era (1848-1854). The garden covers an area of 277 square meters and features a large clipped-style lotus vegetable stone dry landscape. The Hiraizumi Ryōichi Garden is a complete garden with no stone arrangements. Instead, the elegant appearance of Mount Haha is incorporated as borrowed scenery in the garden. The clipped hills made from the Japanese umbrella pine trees in the garden continue endlessly, with three tall peaks arranged within them. In addition, the front of the garden features a large clipped hill of azaleas, expressing a two-tiered structure as a hill. Before the clipped hill, cut stones are arranged to place bonsai trees, as seen in Ryukyu gardens. The Hiraizumi Ryōichi Garden is part of the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden, and uses the large clipped hill garden style and borrowed scenery technique to express elegance and beauty. Upon entering the garden, the view of Mount Haha and the precise arrangement of the garden harmonize, creating a tranquil atmosphere. This garden will provide viewers with beautiful scenery and peace of mind.

The Sata Tamako Garden at the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden was created during the mid-Edo period, from the Kanbun to the Horeki eras (1741-1763). While information on the garden's area is lacking, the style is a large karikomi-style rock garden with dry landscape features. The Sata Tamako Garden expresses the scenery of a deep mountain valley with piled up giant rocks and strange rocks. In the northwest corner of the site, there is a dry waterfall made of standing stones, and stepping stones are placed on the way from the study to the waterfall. The garden stones used in the garden are made of tuff transported from upstream of the Fumoto River. The huge rocks were split along the grain and processed to be easily transported by cattle and horses. The Sata Tamako Garden was created by the Sata family, a branch of the Yoshifuji family. By reproducing the scenery of a deep mountain, this garden expresses the beauty and tranquility of nature. The garden is full of attention to detail, such as the arrangement of the stonework and the dry waterfall made of standing stones. The Sata Tamako Garden has its own unique charm among the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden, and visitors can enjoy the rich natural scenery.

The Hirayama Katsuki Garden in the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden was created during the mid-Edo period, in the Meiwa era (1764-1771). The garden covers an area of 277 square meters and features a large karikomi-style rock garden with dry landscape. To enter the Hirayama Katsuki Garden, you pass through a gate from the street and climb stairs to enter the residence. The garden is unique in that it is elevated above the ground level when viewed from the road. This is not due to an embankment, but rather because the road was cut to create the garden. This garden incorporates the elegant appearance of Mt. Hana as borrowed scenery. Stones are arranged in the north corner to form the main peak. The dogwood hedge is modeled after the branches of Mt. Hana. The Hirayama Katsuki Garden has been designed and arranged with attention to detail, beautifully recreating the natural scenery. Walking through the garden, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery that blends in with the appearance of Mt. Hana and the surrounding landscape. Among the Chiran Samurai Residence Gardens, the Hirayama Katsuki Garden is a famous garden with unique features and charm that attracts visitors.

The Morishige Ken Garden at the Chiran Samurai Residence Garden was created during the mid-Edo period, in the Kanbun era (1741-1743). The main garden area is 198 square meters, and the pond and spring area is 25 square meters. The style is a tsukiyama-sensui garden. In the first year of Kanbun (1741), the main house was built, and then the garden was developed. The Morishige Ken Garden is characterized by its beautiful pond and flowing water, and is the only pond and spring garden of its kind. The pond, which incorporates many curves, uses strange rocks and boulders to represent nearby mountains and peninsulas in the foreground, and on the opposite bank, hole stones symbolizing caves are placed to represent the flow of water. The stone on the right side of the entrance to the garden is the key to the garden, representing a distant mountain above the clouds. In addition, water springs from the back of the garden, and it is said that it has never dried up even in years of drought. This cool water brings vitality and life to the entire garden, providing visitors with healing and peace. The Morishige Ken Garden combines beautiful natural landscapes with delicate garden design, and its stunning landscaping techniques are worthy of praise. Among the Chiran Samurai Residence Gardens, the Morishige Ken Garden is a famous garden with its own unique charm and historical value, loved by many people.