It is a stroll garden with spring water that Tadatoshi, the first lord of the Hosokawa clan, created after building a teahouse here where subsoil water from the Aso Mountains gushed forth. Tsunatoshi, the third lord of the Hosokawa clan, later created a large-scale garden that was named "Jojuen" after a poem by Tao Yuanming.
The garden is home to the Izumi Shrine dedicated to the Hosokawa clan, a Noh theater, and the Kokindenju-no-ma teahouse, which was relocated from the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The garden is filled with cherry and pine trees, floating rocks in the pond, and a hill resembling Mount Fuji, all of which evoke an Edo-era atmosphere. The area including Suizenji Jojuen was selected as one of the Heisei era's 100 best water sources, and it attracts many visitors for the "water of longevity" that springs in the precincts of the Izumi Shrine.
During the Izumi Shrine's grand festival, the Noh stage and traditional horseback archery are performed. Visitors can enjoy a cup of matcha green tea and Japanese sweets in the Kokindenju-no-ma or the adjoining teahouse, which has the most beautiful view of the garden.
Highlights
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The garden is the second best tourist attraction in Kumamoto City after Kumamoto Castle, and is a Japanese garden associated with the Hosokawa clan.
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The pond in the garden's center is a spring-fed pond that was selected as one of the Heisei era's 100 best water sources.
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The water that springs from the Izumizu Shrine, which enshrines Hosokawa feudal lords, is known as the water of longevity.
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It is also the location of the discovery of Suizenjinori, a special seaweed used in Japanese cuisine.
