Explaining the Three Great Gardens of Japan (日本大三名園)

What’s behind the Three Great Gardens of Japan (Nihon Sanmeien)?
Why were they chosen and what makes them great?

We will explore this in the following article.

Japanese people love top lists since ancient times. Very important is the Top 100, which could already experienced during the Edo period like in Ukiyo-e woodblock printings like the 100 views of Edo from Hiroshige or the current list of the 100 most scenic waterfalls.
But also other numbers are very important in Japan like the 3 – 5 – 7 or especially in gardens the 8.

What Are the Three Great Gardens of Japan?

The Three Great Gardens of Japan are the Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, the Kōraku-en in Okayama and the Kairaku-en in Mito.

When visiting these gardens, we might be surprised why they are named the Top Three. We know all those amazing gardens in Kyoto with their special atmosphere and styles.
The Top Three in contrast are not especially beautiful but mainly one: huge!
Some people assume that they are the Top Three because they are the largest gardens in Japan…
However, this is not the reason why they are listed here. They all are famous for their scenic beauty.

Criteria for Greatness: What Makes a Garden “Great”?

It is not sure since when the term „Three Great Gardens“ was used for the first time, but it was already written in a book for foreigners in 1904. The Kairaku-en Garden was established in 1842 though, so it being one of the „Three Great Gardens“ can not be for so long.

Wikipedia explanation: 

In the Edo period, one theme in art and poetry became very popular, 
which is called „Setsugekka“ 雪月花 or Snow Moon Flower. 

It dates back to the Chinese Tang dynasty (618 - 907). 
In Japanese Waka poetry it is traditionally used as „Tsukiyukihana“ 月雪花. 
This also assembles the seasonal order.

Moon 月 for autumn (there even is a moon viewing festival!), 
snow 雪 for winter and flower 花 for spring.

Every of the above mentioned gardens is dedicated to one of these terms:

Kenrokuen to winter, because of its famous snow landscape. Nowadays the Yukitsuri on the Karasaki pine along the shore of the pond is famous for winter.

Kōrakuen to the moon. On the grounds of Kōraku-en we also find fields. The moon viewing ceremony is a festival of harvesting, which fits perfectly into the composition of the garden.

Kairakuen to flowers, because it is famous for its hundreds of plum trees and other flowering trees and shrubs.

This Top Three list with the background of Snow Moon Flower is not unique to gardens, we can also find it applied to scenic spots of Japan.

However, I am never satisfied by Wikipedia…

Beyond the Wikipedia Explanation

There are very few sources on who named those three gardens and when. But one source says, that the naming happened when Japan faced the time of great change between Edo period and Meiji period.
Influential people, known as the Meiji oligarchy, for example Takasaki Goroku, are said to choose Daimyo gardens in different regions of Japan to show the western world that Japan is a civilized nation with a great culture.
To show their approach to become more open and also accept influences from the western world, they also initiated the construction of the Rokumeikan by an English architect (Josiah Conder).

There were three rules which should apply to the selected gardens:
1. It should be a garden like the Koishikawa Kōrakuen or Rikugien in Tokyo (which were already famous).
2. It shouldn’t be located in a metropolis.
3. It should be a garden which is still maintained.

Now we can see why huge gardens were chosen. Koishikawa Kōrakuen as well as Rikugien are large strolling gardens. None of the smaller garden types like Karesansui or Roji are applying to this.

(Fun Fact: The Koishikawa Korakuen’s name was Korakuen only until 1923!)

Choosing the Three Great Gardens of Japan

The idea behind searching for gardens outside of the metropolis is to promote and boost the rural areas.

The Mito family (an official branch of the Tokugawa family) created the Koishikawa Kōrakuen in Tokyo. As this garden is one of the example gardens of the Three Great Gardens project, the Kairaku-en Garden was chosen, which is another garden of the Mito family in Ibaraki.
Kenroku-en Garden was already very famous and the process of choosing it went smoothly.
A problem was the remaining third garden.
This source thinks, that Mito Akitake and Takasaki worked together to get the Okayama Kōraku-en (the garden in Tokyo was named earlier) into the list. Maybe to remind at the original Mito Kōrakuen in Tokyo.
Perhaps the last point which spoke for Okayama Koraku-en was, that even the Emperor chose to stay there in 1884.

Mito (Tokugawa) Akitake led the Japanese delegation to the World Fair in Paris in 1866 and was able to meet the heads of several European countries as a representative of the Tokugawa shogunate. He aged 14 at that time.
He also represented Japan at the World Fair in Philadelphia in 1876 and studied in France afterwards.

Takasaki Goroku was sent from Tokyo to Okayama prefecture as a governor in 1875 and completed a land reform in which three prefectures were merged in the larger Okayama prefecture we know today.
Takasaki fell in love with Okayamas Kōraku-en and this seems to be one plausible reason why he supported the garden to become the third Great Garden.
But even old textbooks claim that Takamatsu’s Ritsurin Garden is more beautiful. However, these three gardens were chosen by few and who knows how many gardens the „judges“ have seen?

With this knowledge in mind, we now know that the „Three Great Gardens“ are not the three most beautiful gardens in Japan from today’s perspective.
They were chosen at a time were Japan wanted to look as cultivated as England and France with their great and neat gardens.
Even in Josiah Conders book „Landscape Gardening in Japan“ of this time, he focused on the bigger strolling gardens, which could be a sign for the taste of the Meiji period.
As we all know, preferences change. What hardly changes are historically solidified terms.

(I used Japanese sources only for this article.)

You can find our eBooks about the History of Japanese Gardens here:

Japanese Garden History (Bundle)

Learn how Japanese gardens evolved through the ages!
Japanese Garden History Part 1 – 3 – Heian to Heisei Period

Buy the Bundle! Get all three parts for a reduced price.

Read more… Buy

Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden Guide

This eBook explores the design and history of Koishikawa Kōrakuen in Tokyo.
Perfect for garden enthusiasts, urban explorers, and cultural travelers.
Discover this peaceful Edo garden nestled beside the bustle of modern Tokyo.
Learn more before you visit—or revisit from home.

Read more… Buy

I also started a short blog post series where I am talking about the development of Japanese Gardens.

Other famous and noteworthy gardens:

Rikugien Garden Guide

This eBook explores the poetic design, history, and seasonal beauty of Rikugien in Tokyo.
Perfect for lovers of Edo-period gardens, literature, and peaceful strolls.
Learn more before you visit—or revisit from home.

Read more… Buy

Japanese Garden History (3)

Japanese Garden History Part 3 – Edo to Heisei Periodexplores how Japanese gardens evolved from feudal stroll gardens to modern natural landscapes.
Learn more before your visit—or revisit from home.

Read more… Buy

Visiting Tokyo? Take your Koishikawa Kōrakuen experience to the next level by booking a guided tour with us!

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.

Support our Work on Patreon

Our Patrons are making our work possible and are the first to read!

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.