One Summer Day at Yokokan, Fukui

Chill out at the beautiful former villa of a local lord

Takako Sakamoto Aug 02, 2014 - 1分鐘閱讀時間

<p>Stepping stones, cobble stone, and a silent pond in deep green surroundings</p>

<p>Narrow walkway toward the entrance of Yokokan Villa</p>

<p>Traditional Japanese thatched roofs of Yokokan Villa</p>

<p>Spacious rooms can be all connected by opening the sliding doors</p>

<p>Outside veranda, stepping stones on cobblestones, and the pond</p>

<p>Japanese drawing of Japanese chickens on a sliding door</p>

<p>Green pond viewed from one of the rooms</p>

<p>Western lady sitting on a tatami mat enjoying the view</p>

<p>Looking at the pond in sunshine from within the dark room</p>

<p>Cute but greedy koi (carp) flock to the edge of the pond for food whenever any human being comes closer</p>

<p>Visitors chilling out in the once-Fukui Lord's-villa looking out at the beautiful pond</p>

<p>Simple, well-maintained stone garden of Yokokan Villa</p>

<p>Yokokan Villa seen from its garden</p>

Yokokan Villa and Garden is one of the places Fukuians recommended that I visit when I first came to Fukui. But embarrassingly, it took me four long years to finally visit the place. The reason was simple, I just thought, 'I can go anytime'. Sound familiar?

Anyway, I finally visited the villa on one summer day and understood why it has been ranked in the TOP 3 for three years in a row at “Sukiya Living Magazine”（American Journal of Japanese Gardening). It's simply beautiful. And to top it all off, it's always deserted since people just don't know Fukui has a garden like this! Yokokan Villa and Garden surely is the best-kept secret of ALL JAPAN!

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...