Koukian Hermitage 古稀庵

Splendid garden of a statesman

The restored thatched gate of Kokian, the Taisho era villa of Aritomo Yamagata, suggests that a retreat is within, but the original building was lost in the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923. What remains is a world-class garden that ranges down a slope facing Sagami Bay, borrowing the view. Drop your 100 yen in the box in front of the modern insurance company building and follow the path around the building to the garden. The garden is a work of art in stone, water, and greenery. It's got to be one of the most soothing gardens I've visited so far. And it seems to draw you in, with the wandering paths that lead around bends that make you want to explore.