Date: 16 October 2016

I thank the scorching sun for the beautiful pictures.

After the visit to Kunozan Toshogu, the next stop was Sunpu Castle which is a 15-minute walk from Shizuoka Station, or a 10-minute walk from Shin-Shizuoka Station. If you are not keen on walking, you could take a bus from Shizuoka station (15 mins, 100 yen). I will write about my visit to Sunpu Castle next time, instead, this post is about my trip to Momijiyama Garden which is located right next to the castle ruins.

Momijiyama Garden is designed based on the traditional Japanese gardens of manors owned by daimyo (powerful Japanese feudal lords) and features four distinct scenes, namely the Garden of the Village (里の庭, Sato no Niwa), the Garden of the Sea (海の庭, Umi no Niwa), the Garden of the Mountain Village (山里の庭, Yamazato no Niwa), and the Garden of the Mountain (山の庭, Yama no Niwa). These four sub-gardens represent the scenic landscapes of Suruga.

Sato no Niwa (Garden of the Village) features a wooden pavillion and a wooden bridge. In early summer, the wooden bridge is surrounded by blooming irises.

Umi no Niwa (Garden of the Sea) features a pond surrounded by white stones and black pines. This represents the famous Miho no Matsubara, known for its pine trees and view of Mount Fuji.

The rocks in the middle of the pond as seen from the “seashore” represents a famous scenic view of Izu.

Yamazato no Niwa (Garden of the Mountain Village) features a miniature Mount Fuji, while the lower part represents terraced tea fields, an important symbol as Shizuoka contributes to 40% of Japan’s tea production.

Standing on top of the hill gives you a great view of the garden.

Yama no Niwa (Garden of the Mountain) features two small waterfalls (not pictured) representing the beauty of mountain landscapes.

Though the garden is relatively small, Momijiyama Garden was a real feast to the eyes. Entrance fee is only 150 yen. Definitely stop for even a brief visit if you are visiting Sunpu Castle!

Here is the official pamphlet of the garden. Do note that the garden closes on Mondays, except on Public Holidays in which the garden will open on Monday, but closes on the next day.

Maps: