Kairaku-en
偕楽園
One of Japan's Three Great Gardens, with about 100 varieties and 3,000 plum trees; the Kōbuntei pavilion overlooks Senba Lake, making it Kanto's foremost plum-blossom viewing spot.
Kairaku-en was opened in 1842 by Tokugawa Nariaki, the ninth lord of the Mito Domain, under the motto 'enjoying together with the people.' It is one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, alongside Kenroku-en in Kanazawa and Okayama Kōraku-en. The garden has about 100 varieties and 3,000 plum trees. Every year from mid-February to late March the Mito Plum Blossom Festival takes place, with early, red, and white plums blooming in turn. Along one side of the front gate, a moso bamboo grove and cedar forest create a shaded 'yin' atmosphere that contrasts with the sunny 'yang' of the plum groves. The wooden Kōbuntei pavilion has an upper floor with views across Senba Lake. Admission for visitors from outside the prefecture is about 320 yen (the Kōbuntei charges separately). Opening hours are about 6:00–19:00 (from October, 7:00–18:00). Getting there: from the north exit of JR Mito Station, take a bus for about 20 minutes. During the plum festival, JR Joban Line trains stop at a temporary Kairaku-en Station.
Opening hours
About 06:00–19:00 (Oct 1–mid-Feb 07:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Tokiwa Shrine
- Lake Senba
- Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of History
- Tokugawa Museum
- Museum of Modern Art, Ibaraki
- Art Tower Mito
- Mito Hachiman-gū
- Mito Tōshō-gū