Aizu Matsudaira Clan Garden, Oyakuen

Oyakuen is a historic garden in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture. Its history began some 600 years ago, when Aizu lord Ashina Morihisa built a villa on land blessed with a natural spring. It was later developed into a garden under Hoshina Masayuki, founder of the Aizu domain. The second lord, Hoshina Masatsune, established a medicinal herb garden to help protect local residents from epidemics. During the rule of the third lord, Matsudaira Masakata, Meguro Jotei laid out the garden that became the basis for its present form, and the cultivation of medicinal plants, including Korean ginseng, was encouraged.

The approximately 4.2-acre grounds feature a strolling pond garden centered on Shinji no Ike Pond and designed to incorporate the surrounding scenery. Visitors can walk around the pond while viewing the buildings and plants arranged throughout the garden. On the north side is a medicinal plant specimen garden occupying the former herb cultivation area, where around 400 varieties of medicinal trees and herbs can still be seen today.

Visitors can also see historic buildings such as Rakuju-tei, which stands in Shinji no Ike Pond; Ochaya Goten, once used by the feudal lords; and the relocated Choyokaku. At the matcha tea area overlooking the garden, matcha is served with the garden’s original sesame yokan. In 1932, the garden was nationally designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty under the name Aizu Matsudaira Clan Garden.