The Ritsurin-kōen landscape park is in the city of Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku. It is one of Japan’s designated places of scenic beauty and, at nearly 75 hectares, it’s also the largest of its kind.

You’ll be impressed right at the entrance. The greenery of the garden blends seamlessly into the densely wooded Mount Shiun. This “borrowed scenery” (shakkei) gives visitors the impression that the park stretches all the way to the horizon.

There are several ponds where you can take a stroll along the banks, or even explore some of them by boat. You can order a tea in the teahouses and enjoy it in peace with a fantastic view of the garden. And of course, there are plenty of photo ops waiting to be discovered.

You can easily reach Ritsurin-kōen on foot in about 20 minutes from Takamatsu Station. On the way, you’ll pass the ruins of Takamatsu Castle and the city’s shopping street. Alternatively, you can take the Tokushima Line from the station to Ritsurin-Kōen-Kitaguchi (栗林公園北口駅) station. Entry costs 410¥ (excluding the boat ride and teahouse visit).