Kodai-ji Temple

Kodai-ji

Kodai-ji is located in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, in the Kantō region of Japan. It was commissioned in the 13th year of the Tenpō era (1842) by Tokugawa Nariaki, the ninth lord of the Mito Domain, and is counted among Japan’s Three Great Gardens alongside Korakuen in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, and Kenrokuen in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Kodai-ji is open to the public on the 3rd and 8th of every month (i.e., the 3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, 23rd, and 28th), a classless tradition that continues to this day, making it the only one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens that offers free admission.

Covering an area of approximately 13 hectares, Kodai-ji features around 3,000 plum trees of 100 different varieties, making it a renowned spot for plum blossom viewing in Japan. The annual Plum Festival is held grandly from late February to late March. Due to the abundance of plum trees, the garden’s iconic structure “Kōbuntei” takes its name from the Japanese alias for plum blossoms, “kōbunoki” (literally “literature-loving wood”). Kōbuntei consists of a three-story wooden main building (which actually has two stories with a third level) and a one-story wooden annex known as the Oku-Goten. The entire complex reflects the enthusiastic creativity and meticulous design of master builders of the time. In addition to plum blossoms, the garden also boasts captivating flora such as cherry blossoms in spring, azaleas in summer, bamboo grass in midsummer, and bush clover and autumn foliage in fall. These plants display a rich variety of colors throughout the seasons, adorning Kodai-ji with breathtaking beauty.

Kairakuen Garden

Must-visit reason: The only one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens that offers free admission

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Prefecture/State where the attraction is located: Ibaraki Prefecture [Ibaraki Prefecture]

City where the attraction is located: Mito [Mito]