An invitation to Ryugon - one of the most famous guesthouses in Japan

In November, right before the first heavy snowfall, I had the chance to visit the famous ryokan (traditional Japanese guesthouse) Ryugon.

The Ryugon opened its doors in 1964, the same year the Olympics took place in Tokyo. However, most of the buildings on the grounds are much older!
Utsugi, the founder of this ryokan, saw a lot of the old buildings in his hometown demolished in the sixties and searched for a way to preserve the traditions of the snow country, how Niigata is also called.

All seven buildings were built in chuumon-zukuri style between 1804 and 1829. This style was used by the vassals of Uesugi Kenshin, a famous daimyo at the end of the Sengoku period (a turning point in Japan’s history when Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power and established the Tokugawa Shogunate).

What is younger than the buildings is the large garden in the middle of the ryokan. It is the main garden with a large pond. Some smaller gardens, all connected through lively rivulets of water which is present everywhere in this area of Niigata, are embedded between the old houses.
The main garden is a typical garden of the Showa period, featuring some large rocks and a fountain. The other gardens are less in dramaturgy, but not less interesting! Every single one of them has a different atmosphere and style.
There is a courtyard garden, designed as a hill surrounded by water, a long and narrow garden, implying a scene in a mountain setting and a small river running between the buildings, reminding me at the temple garden of Erin-ji in Yamanashi prefecture.

Soon, the Ryugon will face some transformation to fit the expectations of future guests. I am honored to function as an adviser for the gardens (which will see less transformation than the interior of the guesthouse) together with two local specialists.
I am grateful that I was able to visit the Ryugon previous to the changes and will, hopefully, also be able to visit it when the renovation works are completed.

A book about the Ryogon is also planned. But this time, it may appear in a slightly different format than our regular books.

Stay tuned!

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For more insights into Niigata or rope works, please see also our other articles:

Interesting reads: (Links are tied to the Amazon associates program)

Ryokan Ryugon
by Real Japanese Gardens
Price: $4.95
Click to see more details

目で見る庭のロープワーク
4.5-star rating on Amazon.co.jp
Price: ¥1404
Click to see more details

I don’t receive money from Ryugon for advertising for them. Ryugon was so kind as to cover the travel expenses so I was able to view the garden and give my opinion and advice. There is no other agreement between Ryugon and Real Japanese Gardens than that I do this publicly.

Anika

With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.

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