金沢　幻の玉澗様式庭園（ぎょっかんようしきていえん）　玉泉園（ぎょくせんえん）

Gyokusen-en is one of the oldest pond-strolling gardens in Kanazawa, created over the course of roughly one hundred years by the Wakita family, senior samurai of the Kaga Domain. It is also an exceptionally rare example of the so called “phantom Gyokkan-style garden,” a design style of which only six verified examples remain in all of Japan. On the Sea of Japan side, Gyokusen-en is the only one. The history of Gyokusen-en spans four centuries. Its construction began in the early Edo period, when Wakita Naokata, a retainer of the Kaga Domain, initiated the garden’s creation. It was completed over four generations and about one hundred years. The garden is approximately 120 years older than Kenrokuen—one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens built by successive Kaga lords—and is regarded as the origin of Kanazawa’s garden culture. The garden’s name derives from Gyokusen-in, the lawful wife of Maeda Toshinaga, the second lord of the Kaga Domain, and daughter of Oda Nobunaga. The Wakita family had a deep connection with Gyokusen-in, and this relationship is reflected in the garden’s name. After the Wakita family left Kanazawa in the early Meiji period, the Nishida family took over the property. Gyokusen-en has been open to the public since 1971 and is now maintained by the Nishida Family Garden Preservation Society. Distinctive Features of Gyokusen-en 1. A two tiered pond-strolling garden The garden makes full use of the natural slope of the hillside, creating a dynamic, multi-layered landscape. It also incorporates the trees of Kenrokuen as borrowed scenery, and its water source is drawn from the same stream that flows through Kenrokuen—evidence of the garden’s deep historical ties to the Kaga Domain. 2. The rare “Gyokkan-style” garden design Only six examples of this style are known nationwide. The design is said to be inspired by the landscape paintings of the Southern Song monk-artist Fen Gyokkan. Gyokusen-en preserves all four defining elements of the style: 1. two artificial hills, 2. a waterfall between them, 3. a stone bridge (Tsūtenbashi) above the waterfall, and 4. a cave-like structure beneath the bridge. 3. Kanazawa’s oldest surviving teahouse, Saisetsutei Built around 1651 under the guidance of Sen Sōsitsu, founder of the Urasenke school, it is the oldest existing teahouse in Kanazawa. Its one tatami mat-and-daime layout embodies the wabi aesthetic of Sen no Rikyū. Tea ceremony experiences are available with advance reservation. 4. Ancient trees predating the garden’s construction The grounds contain centuries-old trees such as Korean five-needle pines and trumpet vines, offering a glimpse into the natural landscape that existed long before the garden was built. The Appeal of Gyokusen-en Its charm can be summarized in four points: 1. a precious space preserving the earliest form of Kanazawa’s garden culture, 2. a three-dimensional recreation of classical landscape painting—truly a “picture-like garden,” 3. deep historical ties to tea culture, and 4. a serene, shadowed beauty distinct from the grandeur of Kenrokuen. Nishida Family Garden Preservation Society Address: 8-3 Kosho-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0932 TEL: 076-221-0181 FAX: 076-221-0381 Website: https://gyokusen-en.net Opening hours: 9:00–17:00 (Dec. 1–24: 10:00–16:00) Winter closure: Dec. 25 – end of February Closed: Wednesdays (or the following weekday when Wednesday is a national holiday) Please check the website for admission fees. I hope this video will serve as a helpful guide for your travels in Ishikawa. Please enjoy “Kanazawa: The Phantom Gyokkan-style Garden — Gyokusen-en.”