Shukkeien Garden

Shukkeien, located in Kamihatchobori, Naka Ward, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is a historic daimyo garden designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty and one of the “100 Historic Parks of Japan.” It is currently managed by Hiroshima Prefecture.

The garden was originally constructed in 1620 (Genna 6) by order of Asano Nagaakira, the first lord of the Hiroshima Domain, as his secondary residence. Initially designed by samurai and tea master Ueda Sōko, it was later extensively renovated by Kyoto garden master Shimizu Shichirōemon, gradually taking its present form. By the late Meiji period, its layout was mostly complete, but it suffered severe damage in the 1945 atomic bombing. Reconstruction was carried out in the 1970s. Shimizu Shichirōemon was a renowned garden craftsman of the era, who also designed Kiyosui-en and Sōrō-en within the Hiroshima Domain.

Shukkeien is located in central Hiroshima, along the upper reaches of the Kyōbashi River, part of the Ōta River system. To the west lies Hiroshima Castle, to the east across the river is Hiroshima Station, and to the south is the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum. The area is surrounded by greenery and is connected to several public facilities.

The name “Shukkeien” (literally “shrunken scenery garden”) means to present scenic views from various regions in a condensed form, and is said to have originated from a poem by Confucian scholar Hayashi Razan for the second lord, Asano Mitsuakira. The Edo-period work Shukkeien-ki records the poetic names of the garden’s mountains, ponds, bridges, and islands, showing that it was already well known at the time. Over the years, the garden has also been called “Sensui-yashiki,” “Sentei,” and “Go-sensui,” with the name “Shukkeien” officially adopted after World War II.

Overseas, particularly in Christian circles, Shukkeien is also known as “Asano Park.” This name spread after Jesuit priests took refuge here following the atomic bombing. Their memoirs were cited in the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey report, Time magazine, and the famous non-fiction work Hiroshima, contributing to the international recognition of the name.