Thursday 15 August 2013

Hirosaki: Fujita memorial garden

A room with a view
The Fujita memorial garden, at the southern end of the castle, was the last port of call in our day in Hirosaki.  It was built in the Taisho era, 1919, by a prominent local industrialist. And, like a lot of similarly statused people of the era, the Fujitas combined Japanese and western styles. Rather than combining it in the one building, like the Kyu Furukawa Teien in Kita Ku Tokyo, the Fujitas built a Japanese building, which looks out over the garden, and a western building that contains a cafe in it today.

The Japanese - kan
 
The imperial seal - I'm curious whether this was a part of the
original design - I guess state Shintoism had taken root by 1919 and
it's possible.
The Fujita family crest
Calligraphy hanging on the wall 
Translation
Calligraphy
The western building
With western furnishings
 
Take stairs down to a garden below
Irises in the garden
 
 
Hiro's nieces were familiar with the garden as a place that
had been used in some TV drama.... 
Not a good photo, but a charming well. When the water
is poured over the rocks there is a musical tinkle as it
falls into a vessel below.
 
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6 comments:

machi said...

I was pleasantly surprised by Hirosaki last year. My LP didn't have much to say about the town but it had some really nice places to see, of which the Fujita garden was probably a favourite place.

Cecilia said...

I picked up a tourist map of Hirosaki while we were having lunch and and decided to go there on a whim. It was a good decision. There are several other old buildings that I'd like to look at next time I am there.

Sorry I wasn't much help when you were in Japan - I am absolutely swamped this year with new classes. Hope all is going well.

Rurousha said...

The garden looks cool and hot at the same time. Love the calligraphy!

Cecilia said...

Hiro's oldest niece is in the shodo bu and very enthusiastic in her picture taking of the calligraphy. It was a hot day for Akita-ites...

machi said...

don't worry about it - it ended up being a very busy and successful trip (actually more about that on my new blog), so worked out fine in the end.

Cecilia said...

Will check it out.