The great thing about a cruise is that you go to places you wouldn’t normally go, or know about. Sengan-en was one of these places.
The first stop of our Japan Cruise was to the city of Kagoshima on the far Eastern tip of Japan. Located on Kyushu Island, Kagoshima city was home to the powerful Satsuma clan, the birthplace of the Japanese industrial revolution, and home to the active Sakujirima volcano but more on that later.
The House at Sengan-En
Sengan-en is a traditional Japanese landscape garden and stately home that was built in 1658 by Mitsuhisa Shimazu, the 19th head of the powerful Shimazu clan who ruled over the Satsuma domain (present-day Kagoshima) for nearly 700 years until 1868.
Through a tour of the house we gained a better understanding of how life was like until the 1800s. The architecture and style took influences from Chinese, Japanese and Western cultures to provide a beautiful and comfortable dwelling for this wealthy Clan family.
The small corridors, spacious tatami rooms, and a main reception room with chandeliers and Western-style dinner service gave us a sense of how a feudal lord would have lived.
These Tatami mats were important not only because of their comfort (like walking on sea grass) but also how they were a fixed unit of measurement. Almost 16 feet in square metres, the Tatami mats were always the same size. Therefore a room could be measured (or boasted) by the number of Tatami mats. Some of the rooms at Sengan-en would require a lot of mats!
I loved exploring the house but got a little tired of bashing my head on the low ceilings so we headed out to explore the stunning gardens.
The Gardens of Sengan-en
Laid out across twelve acres the gardens were designed to work with the landscape, using the ever present Sakurajima volcano and Kinko Bay to provide striking “borrowed scenery”. Even on this grey day we could see how these gardens could be a wonderful, peaceful retreat from the modern city of today.
The meticulously landscaped grounds feature serene ponds, gently flowing streams, mysterious shrines tucked away for visitors to discover. Further into the gardens a tranquil bamboo grove, and hiking trails offered stunning panoramic views over the bay towards the volcano. Even on this grey day, we could appreciate the beauty of this place.
Sadly, with the bus waiting we didn’t have such a relaxing time to enjoy the grounds. With hindsight we may have skipped the house tour and spent more time in the gardens.
As we hurried back to the bus, we got a moment to look at another important part of history.
Shoko Shuseikan industrial complex
Built within the grounds of Sengan-en is the Shoko Shuseikan industrial complex from the 1800s. These small buildings, comparatively small to modern industrial standards included charcoal kilns, iron furnaces and sluice gates to harness hydropower. Like a visit to Arkwright Mills, this was where the Japan’s industrial revolution began.
Located about 30 minutes drive North of the Kagoshima cruise terminal, you could easily enjoy a fully at Sengan-en. Like a trip to a National Trust house you could easily spend the day visiting the industrial complex, gardens and house. With tasteful restaurants and gift shops you’d never get hungry or bored on your visit !
All the time we were visiting the historic house and grounds we could see a large volcano, shrouded in mist quietly belching out a grey cloud of steam. Our next stop would be a hike up the mighty Sakurajima Volcano.
How to Find Sengan-En
The house and gardens are located along National Route 10 about 30 minutes from Kagoshima airport, or about 10 minutes from the city centre. There is plenty of parking for cars. There are also frequent buses including the routes N6, N2 and N4. Check the map for more information.
The Shinkansen Bullet Train connects Kagoshima (Kyushu Shinkansen from Kagoshimachuo Station) all the way up to To Osaka where you can change for Tokyo.
There is plenty of information in English, on the official website.
Further Reading
Yokohama at Night
Witnessing a Modern Colossus – Gundam in Yokohama
Sleeping in the Sky – Tokyo’s Shangri-La Hotel
