Okayama Korakuen.

Constructed in 1687, Korakuen is one of Japan's three premier traditional gardens, distinguished by its vast, rolling lawns—a rarity in a country where moss and gravel typically dominate. Originally commissioned by Lord Ikeda Tsunamasa as a private retreat for the ruling family, the space was designed to offer "pleasure after" the hard work of governing. Today, it remains a meticulously preserved landscape of tea plantations, rice paddies, and a large central pond. The layout utilizes the "borrowed scenery" technique, framing Okayama Castle in the distance to expand its visual scale. Visitors can explore the arched bridges and plum groves or visit the resident red-crowned cranes in the garden’s aviary. For a quiet moment, the Ryuten Pavilion provides a unique resting spot where a stream flows directly through the building’s open ground floor.