My tour of Japanese Garden continues and this time it takes me to Waterford to visit the lovely Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Garden. There’s more to this garden than the Japanese Garden because it also has different garden designs like Victorian, Greek and American gardens. These thematic gardens conceptualize the rich life and travels of Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, also known as Koizumi Yakumo after adopting Japanese citizenship.
“The idea for these gardens first arose in 2012 when Professor Bon Koizumi, the great grandson of Lafcadio Hearn, with his wife, Shoko, visited Tramore to retrace the steps of his famous ancestor who had spent his childhood summers in this lovely seaside town.” (Why a Japanese Garden in Tramore)
There are 11 diferent gardens in the vicinity, with the construction and designs done by various designers, supporters and volunteers throughout the years. The 2.5 acre hilly land overlooks the nearby Tramore Bay. As a garden visitor, this offers both vistas of the woodland section and the bay, which incorporates the Japanese concept of ‘shakkei’ or “borrowed landscape”.
Inspired by Hearn’s essay “In a Japanese Garden, the garden is laid out with attention to the symbolic meaning of rock, trees and other elements of Japanese garden design. Typical structures of a Japanese Garden are featured here, most notable are the Azumaya (Summer Pavilion), Ochaya (Ceremonial Tea House), Sori Bashi Bridge, Niwamon Gate and Fujidana.
The gardens can easily be navigated on a self-guided walk and there are audio guides in five different languages. Check the website too for guided tours and times. Children have a special place in here as there are discovery trails, secret pathways, woodlands and Lafcadio Hearn’s fairytales and folklore immersed on the garden experience. School tours are available, as well as regular group tours in daytimes and in the evening.
Thank you for reading.
*Feel free to connect: 1) Twitter 2) Instagram 3) Youtube
*Get updated with some Cobh news here.
* If you have a post or photo post about Cobh, please feel free to submit a Guest Post.
ikvjd7