小石川後楽園の見所を英文で紹介します。。
ガイド研修仲間の青沼さん作製の資料を基にして作っています。
見所の一覧です。
1) 涵徳亭2) 枝垂桜(しだれざくら)3) 小廬山(しょうろざん)4) 渡月橋5) 西湖の堤(さいこのつつみ)6) 大堰川(おおいがわ)7) 屏風岩(びょうぶいわ)8) 清水観音堂(きよみずかんのうどう)9) 通天橋10) 得仁堂11) 丸屋(まろや)12) 円月橋13) 八卦堂14) 八ツ橋15) 神田上水跡16) 稲田・しょうぶ田・藤棚17) 九八屋18) 松原19) 船着場20)異形灯籠(いぎょうどうろう)21) 唐門22) 内庭23) 寝覚めの滝24) 延段(のべだん)25) 大泉水26) 蓬莱山・亀島27) 竹生島(ちくぶしま)28) 木曽川29) 竜田川、紅葉林30)陰陽石(いんようせき)
英文での説明です
1) 涵徳亭 Kantokutei Hut: The thatched roof house was first called “Glass hut” or “Vidor hut” due to the glass paper windows, but it was named “Kantokutei” by Nobuatu Hayashi Cheng-Zhu scholar in the Kyohou era. The present hut was reconstructed in 1986 and is used as a public meeting house.
2) 枝垂桜(しだれざくら)Weeping Cherry: It used to be a more than 100-year-old tree, but the present tree was replanted by graft. Still, it is more than 70 years old.
3) 小廬山(しょうろざん)Little Mt. Ro: Mt. Ro is a beautiful mountain located 560 km inside from Shanghai in China. Daisen Garden in Osaka has one architectural hill mocking this mountain. Higasiyama in Kyoto is called “Shorosan,” and this Kourakuen mound mocks this area.
4) 渡月橋 Togetsu Bridge: It mocks the beautiful bridge over the Katsura River in Kyoto.
5) 西湖の堤(さいこのつつみ)The Bank of Lake Saiko: It is a miniature mocking the bank straight dividing the surface of Lake Saiko, the beautiful lake in Hangzhou, China, which cultural people have adored. Some exotic tastes are added to this Japanese garden. Shukkei-en Garden in Hiroshima is formed in the same style.
This is the first Saiko mocking garden in Japan and in the sense of beauty and history, and it is a very important garden.”
6) 大堰川(おおいがわ)Ooi River: It mocks the Ooi River, the upstream of the River Katsura in Kyoto, which Iemitsu Tokugawa loved. It is said that the shogun himself sat on the stone by the river and directed the construction.
7) 屏風岩(びょうぶいわ)Folding Screen Rock: This is next to the Ooi River. It is called so because it stands upright like a folding screen. It is said that, when Iemitsu visited this garden, he hung his towel on a branch of the pine tree near this rock and sat on the rock by the river. The stone monuments represent Buddhism belief. They are three Amida gods, three Buddha gods and flanking gods.
8) 清水観音堂(きよみずかんのうどう)Kiyomizu Kannon Do: It mocks Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto. It was burned down by the Kanto Big Earthquake.
9) 通天橋 Tuten Bridge: It mocks Tuten Bridge in Toufuku Temple in Kyoto. Kyoto Tuten Bridge is well known for autumn red leaves.
10) 得仁堂 Tokujin Hall: Mitsukuni, at the age of 18, was impressed with “Hakuin Biography,” one story in The Historical Records by Sima Qian. He and his brother were honest royal members of a small country in China. Mitsukuni enshrined the brothers’ statues in the hall. The name came from the story that Confucius referred to the brother as “Seek Benevolence and Get Benevolence.” “Get Benevolence” is “Tokujin.” This is the only constructure that remains the original figure when the garden was completed. The two wooden statues are preserved by Tokyo Metropolitan Government now.
11) 丸屋(まろや)Maroya Hut: It represents an old-fashioned tearoom in ancient times. It was burned down by the war fire, and it was reconstructed in 1966.
12) 円月橋 Engetsu Bridge: It shows itself in a form of full moon with the reflection on the water. It is the oldest arch stone bridge, designated historically important properties. Zhu Zhiyu is said to have designed this bridge. Later, Yoshimune Tokugawa tried to build the same one, but in vain. This bridge shows the high Chinese skills in building bridges at that time.
13) 八卦堂 Hakke Hall: Mitsukuni, at the age of eight, was given the statue of Wenchang, the god of learning, when he had the honor to meet the shogun Iemitsu. He came to like literature. He remembered this god and built this hut with the statue. The statue was broken by the Kanto Great Earthquake.
14) 八ツ橋 Yatsuhashi, Eight Bridges: Yatsuhashi is a beautiful place in Mikawa, the present eastern Aichi prefecture. This mocks that place. It is the place where Narihira Ariwara made a famous tanka poem in Ise Story. It is an acrostic poem of “”Ka, Ki, Tsu, Ba, Ta.” “It was built under the consideration for Owari Domain, it is supposed.”
15) 神田上水跡 Traces of Kanda Water Supply: It was the oldest city water supply in Japan. The garden withdrew water from this water supply that began in the springs in Inokasira Pond. Now, the garden pumps up 450-ton water from the 22 meters deep well every day.
16) 稲田・しょうぶ田・藤棚 Rice Field, Iris Field, Wisteria Trellis: These represent one of the Four View Parts, Field View. It is said that Mitsukuni built these to teach the wife of his heir Tsunaeda how troublesome and important agriculture is.
17) 九八屋 Kuhachi-ya, Nine-Eight Shop: It is a hut mocking a drinking shop in the Edo period. The original hut was burned down by the Bombing in Tokyo. It was reconstructed in 1959. The name comes from a lesson: when you drink, drink nine-tenth by day, eight-tenth by night. But this can be applied for everything. Be reserved.
18) 松原 Pine Trees Field: There used to be some hundreds pine trees, and Yoshimune as a Daimyo Lord of Kisyu Domain, praise this field. Today, there are only 21 trees. In early March, the season of plum blossoms, a music concert of Japanese musical instruments is held.
19) 船着場 Landing Harbor: This is the place where people land the pleasure boat in Daisensui.
20) 異形灯籠(いぎょうどうろう)Strange Shaped Stone Lantern: This was used as a lighting device when people on the boat enjoyed the moon image on the surface at night.
21) 唐門 Chinese Gate: This was the officially main entrance to Korakuen and was where the visiting tour begins. It divided the private inner garden and Kourakuen Garden. It was burned down by the Bombings, but, in 2020, it was reconstructed by considering the photos taken in the Taisyo era. On the sign board, the letters “後楽園” and the name of Zhu Zhiyu were written along with his stamp. It shows the gate is deeply related with Zhu Zhiyu.
22) 内庭 Inner Garden: This used to be the place for the Study House of Mito Daimyo Residence. The Chinese gate separated this garden from Kourakuen on the side of Daisensui. There is an island in a pond with two arch bridges crossing over. The lord and the official guests entered the inner garden through the Chinese gate and walked around Kourakuen.
23) 寝覚めの滝 Wake-up Waterfall: The waterfall from the water of the spring of the inner garden to the River Kisogawa is named “Wake-up Waterfall.”
24) 延段(のべだん)Nobedan, stone slope: Nobedan appears after the Chinese gate and Mt. Kiso. It is a simple China-style stone road, composed of cut rocks and pebbles. The Chinese Gate, Kourakuen, the stone slope and Daisensui appear in this order.
25) 大泉水 Daisensui, an Artificial Pond: This is the center of this garden. Iemitsu Tokugawa designed it. The pond has a Hourai Island looking, like a miniature of Lake Biwa.
26) 蓬莱山・亀島 Hourai Island/Mountain, Kame Island: Hourai Island/ Mountain is a legendary place where holy hermits live and medicine for the immortals is found. It was influenced by Chinese Taoism. This island/moutain is always found in the gardens praying for longevity. There are some who say this is the best place to appreciate the beauty of the garden. A turtle-shaped rock is called “Tokudaiji Temple Stone.” In the island is an altar for Bezaiten Goddess.
27) 竹生島(ちくぶしま)Chikubu Island: The real one is located in the northern part of Lake Biwa. It is the second largest island in Lake Biwa.
28) 木曽川 The Kiso River: It shows the adoration for Kyoto, representing the route to Kyoto, the views of Tokaido Major Road and Nakasendo Major Road.
29) 竜田川、紅葉林 The Tatsuta River, Red Leaves Woods: This river is famous for the beautiful red leaves. It runs at the foot of Mt. Tatsuta in Ikaruga Town, Nara. There is a famous waka poem depicting this river.30)陰陽石(いんようせき)Yin and Yang Stones: Samurai family hoped to have sons, because, otherwise, the family ended due to having no heirs. Yang stone is a male rock while Yin stone a female rock.