Sengan-en was built in 1658 by Shimazu Mitsuhisa, the 19th head of the family. Covering approximately 50,000 square meters, it's a vast daimyo garden.
Unlike many Japanese gardens that rely on artificial hills and ponds, Sengan-en is different. The reason lies in the scenery before you.
Kagoshima Bay is treated as the garden’s pond, and Sakurajima as its mountain. This technique is known as shakkei, or borrowed scenery. While borrowed scenery is found in other Japanese gardens, few match the scale and grandeur seen here.
The garden also features strong influences from Chinese culture, including the pavilion Bōgakurō, the massive rock inscription Senjingan, and bamboo groves inspired by famous Chinese landscapes.
Even the name Sengan-en comes from a real scenic site in China, said to resemble the landscape here. Enjoy this rare garden shaped by international exchange at Japan’s southern gateway.