Yoshikien Garden

A Tranquil Garden Retreat

in the Heart of Nara

Tucked away just a short walk from Nara Park and Kofuku-ji Temple, Yoshikien Garden offers a peaceful retreat into the elegance of traditional Japanese landscaping. Built on the site of a former priest's residence from nearby Kofuku-ji, the garden was developed in the early 20th century, during the Taisho period (1912–1926), and is named after the Yoshikigawa River that flows beside it.

What sets Yoshikien apart is its three distinct garden styles—a pond garden, a moss garden, and a tea ceremony garden—all harmoniously laid out within a single compact space. These elements reflect classical aesthetics inspired by Zen Buddhism and the tea ceremony culture. The garden’s design offers insight into Japan’s evolving landscaping techniques, blending spiritual tranquility with refined natural beauty.

Unlike the nearby and more crowded Isui-en Garden, Yoshikien is often overlooked, making it a serene and uncrowded alternative. Best of all, admission is free for foreign visitors, making it an ideal stop for travelers seeking a quiet, authentic experience in Nara’s historic core.

Explore the Sights

See photos that bring Yoshikien Garden to life.

A serene Japanese garden with a pond, rocks, lush green bushes, and trees with red, orange, and green leaves, alongside a wooden walkway and small pavilion under a blue sky.
A small wooden pavilion with a tiled roof is situated on a hill surrounded by lush greenery, colorful trees, and a stone staircase leading up to it. There is a classic street lamp on the right side of the image, and the sky is partly cloudy with blue
A traditional Japanese garden with a stone lantern, trees, bushes, and a building with a tiled roof in the background.
Japanese garden with rocks, trees, traditional wooden structure, and a walkway
Japanese-style wooden porch with sliding glass doors, surrounded by trees and traditional garden
A serene Japanese garden with moss-covered ground, stone pathways, trees, and traditional wooden buildings in the background.
Traditional Japanese garden with two small wooden structures, surrounded by green trees and plants, a cobblestone pathway, and mossy ground.
Small stone lantern with a wooden roof inside a mossy, wooded garden area.
Yoshikien Garden: Traditional Japanese thatched-roof house surrounded by trees with autumn leaves and a maintained grass lawn.
Traditional Japanese house with a bamboo fence, shoji screen, and moss-covered roof, surrounded by green foliage.
Traditional Japanese building with thatched roof and wooden porch, surrounded by trees and landscaped garden.
Traditional Japanese house with wooden structure, sliding doors, and tiled roof, surrounded by autumn foliage and green grass
Cluster of red berries on leafy green and reddish stems in sunlight
White flowers with yellow centers growing among green leaves in soil.
A peaceful Japanese garden with a winding gravel path, lush trees with green and some red leaves, and a traditional thatched-roof building in the background.
A close-up view of dense green moss with tiny, spiky, star-shaped structures.
Traditional Japanese wooden house surrounded by lush greenery and trees, with a small pond in the garden.
Colorful autumn leaves on trees against a bright blue sky.