Sengan-en, a World Cultural Heritage Japanese garden in Kagoshima.

Sengan-en was the favorite garden of Shimazu Nariakira. Atsuhime, who married into the Tokugawa shogunate, also lived in this beautiful garden. To this day, it continues to attract numerous visitors from around the world. The garden features a stunning landscape with Sakurajima as a borrowed scenery mountain and Kinko Bay as a pond, creating a breathtaking view that leaves visitors in awe. The Iso area in Kagoshima City still retains historical traces of its modernization. The remains of the reverberatory furnace used to manufacture cannons, the modern Satsuma ware made using the same brick-making method as the reverberatory boiler, and the origin of the Satsuma Kiriko factory, which initially started with the idea of making medicine bottles, are all significant proofs of Japan's journey towards becoming a modern industrial nation. The Iso area is considered one of the most influential places in leading Japan towards modernization. These industrial heritage sites are very important for historical testimony, and thus, the Japanese government decided to list them as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 2015. The vast garden, covering 15,000 tsubo, is filled with various flowers blooming throughout the year, offering a splendid view. 🎭 Sengan-en, a villa built by Satsuma Domain lord Shimazu Mitsuhisa in 1658, combines a Japanese garden with the magnificent scenery of Sakurajima and Kinko Bay. It was designated a World Cultural Heritage site in 2015 as part of the "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution." The garden features local cuisine, a Japanese-style café, shops selling traditional Kagoshima crafts, and exclusive Sengan-en souvenirs. The adjacent museum, Shoko Shuseikan, offers insights into the 800-year history of the Shimazu family and showcases Satsuma Kiriko glass craftsmanship. 🍵 Sengan-en is located in the Iso area of Kagoshima City, the Shimazu family's villa.