Fukushen Gardens

The Fukushen Gardens (Fukushu En Park) are located in the heart of Naha.  This Chinese garden was given as a gift from Naha's sister city, Fuzhou City of China, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of their friendship.  The gardens are split into three sections:  Fall & Winter, Summer, and Spring.  Each section boasts landscaping and architectural features representative of their season.

Fall & Winter

By far my favorite portion of the gardens (also my favorite seasons in real life).  This section contained a large central pond and a circular pathway.  There were also many other pathways that branched off and took you to other smaller scenes throughout.

The main scene is that of the pond, bridge, and waterfall.  

Once you walk around to the waterfall, you can climb the rocky stairways to sit in the gazebo on top, meander through the cave-like pathways underneath and look out from beneath the waterfall, or you can hop stones in front of the waterfall.

The waterfall flows out into the pond but also feeds a smaller pond just to its left that is a tranquil sitting place.  O really enjoyed watching some of the turtles up close here.

We were also able to find a vending machine where you can buy boxes of food for only a couple hundred yen to feed the fish and turtles.  I'm not sure O understood the concept, but she definitely showed enthusiasm throwing the food into the water.  Whether she realized the fish were eating them or not... I have no idea.  I loved watching the fish eat the food.  It was like a frenzied rainbow flitting about and shimmering in the sunlight.

Summer

Spring






 No matter where you are in this garden, pay attention to the details.  See the picture below?  That is the roof to the gazebo on the left.  You'd totally miss it if you didn't look up!

Shikinaen Gardens

Originally built in the 18th century, the Shikinaen Gardens are located in Naha near Shuri Castle.  The gardens house the royal summer home of the Ryukyu Kings and is one of 9 World Heritage Sites on island.

The garden is done in the traditional Japanese style of landscape gardening with a central pond.  However, the architecture and the chosen plants give it a uniquely Okinawan feel.  The Shikinaen Gardens were completely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and have since been restored.

After paying only 300 yen per adult, we took several paths through the wooded part of the garden around the guardhouses and down to the spring.  From there you can continue on to the main house or around the pond.  We decided to let our toddler lead the way.  She just started walking, so it made for a nice slow pace.

We toured the summer home which really puts into perspective what a real royal home would be like.  Not extremely large and overly grand.  I can really appreciate Eastern style.  They're attention to details and the way they try to make things be in harmony with nature.  And I really like Tatami floors.  They're elegant AND comfortable.  It's too bad they require so much work to take care of or I might have transformed my entire apartment by now.

We then walked around the pond and over its several stone bridges.  Along the way O had us admire every rock in the vicinity and practiced her stair-climbing.  We also took a small roll down one of the grassy hills and sat and watched the fish swim by.

I think we'll be coming back to this place.  It's very peaceful and I have a feeling it would be beautiful during every season.