One of Japan's Three Great Gardens. Established by Tokugawa Nariaki as a place for the public to enjoy together.

Kairakuen, along with Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Korakuen in Okayama, is counted as one of Japan's Three Great Gardens. It was opened in July of the 13th year of the Tenpo era (1842) by Tokugawa Nariaki, the 9th lord of the Mito domain, as a place for the local people to relax.

Upon entering through the main gate, a bamboo grove spreads out, and as you descend, you will find the Togyokusen spring, which flows continuously, and the Kobuntei, designed personally by Tokugawa Nariaki, filled with attractions.

Kairakuen is home to about 100 varieties of 3,000 plum trees, heralding the fragrant early spring. Starting with the "Mito Plum Festival" from mid-February to mid-March, flowers such as cherry blossoms, azaleas, and in autumn, bush clover, and in early winter, the double-flowering cherry blossom, bring the seasons to life within the garden.

Kobuntei

Located in the middle of the garden, Kobuntei consists of the main two-story, three-story wooden structure and a single-story wooden annex, said to have been designed by Tokugawa Nariaki himself. It is said that he gathered poets, scholars, and people from the domain here to hold poetry and entertainment gatherings.

Enjoying the world of "Yin" and "Yang" while strolling through the garden

Kairakuen is said to have been created with the concept of the "Yin" and "Yang" worldview in mind.
The "Yin" world, with its pleasantly moist tranquility like a mysterious realm, and the "Yang" world, where sunlight pours down and fragrant plum blossoms bloom in early spring.
Enjoying this contrast is one of the unique charms of Kairakuen.

For the latest information regarding Kairakuen, blooming information, entrance fees, and more, please visit here
https://ibaraki-kairakuen.jp/