Shukkei-en Garden

17th-century miniature landscape garden, damaged in 1945 and carefully restored

A classical Japanese garden created in 1620 by Asano Nagaakira, lord of Hiroshima. The name means "shrunken scenery" — the garden compresses a miniature landscape of hills, ponds, bridges, and islands into a compact space, so that strolling its paths creates the impression of moving through a much larger terrain. The central pond reflects a series of teahouses and pavilions.

Almost entirely destroyed in the bombing (it stood 1.4km from the hypocenter), it was painstakingly restored using historical records. Open 9:00–18:00 (to 17:00 October–March). Entry ¥260. The garden is a short walk from Shukkeien-mae tram stop on Line 9.

things to do sight garden
A story
After the bombing, the garden served as an emergency relief site. Bodies of the dead were cremated here, and thousands of survivors sheltered among the damaged trees and broken stones. The head gardener returned to the devastated grounds within days and began the decades-long process of restoration, guided by Edo-period drawings.