Mohri Garden, Hofu

Mohri Garden is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty spanning 84,000 square meters in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The powerful family built their main residence here in 1916, which still remains today. This beautiful garden showcases a gorgeous fusion of nature and sophisticated artificial techniques from the Meiji and Taisho era.

The city has long been associated with the lords of the Choshu Domain (the old name for Yamaguchi Prefecture), the powerful Mohri clan. The property is owned by the historic Mohri (Ohe) family (794 AD - present). The house, built in 1916, is made entirely of Japanese cypress and has gold-flake painted panels inside. The Mohri family collection includes seven National Treasures, which can be seen at the Mohri Museum in one part of the former residence.

The garden is a stunning example of Japanese garden design in the 19th and 20th centuries. This is a garden arranged so that visitors walk around a central pond. Visitors can enjoy the tranquil atmosphere from the bridge over Hyotan Pond. The gardens cover acres and is apparently one of the most famous "Nioi-zakura" gardens in Japan - meaning that it is planted so that there is color & interest during every season. The vast garden includes the former main residence of the Mouri family, and you can enjoy seasonal scenery such as cherry blossoms, azaleas, and autumn leaves.

Garden admission costs 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for children. A combined ticket for the garden and museum is available: adults 1,200 yen, students 250 yen. The site is accessible by bus from Hofu Station. From Hofu Station, take the north exit and get on the Bocho Bus from the #2 bus stop bound for Amidaji. Get off at Mori Hontei Iriguchi bus stop and walk 6 minutes. Shin-Yamaguchi Station is accessible via the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo in four and a half hours and Osaka.