Park sights in Shikoku
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Dōgo-kōen
A small park containing the site of Yuzuki-jō, the former residence of the Kōno clan that ruled Iyo province in feudal times. Articles unearthed during recent excavations are on display in Yuzuki-jō Museum, near the west entrance of the park.
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Ritsurin-kōen
One of the most beautiful gardens in the country, Ritsurin-kōen dates from the mid-1600s and took more than a century to complete. Designed as a walking garden for the daimyō's enjoyment, the park winds around a series of ponds, tearooms, bridges and islands. To the west, Shiun-zan (Mt Shiun) forms an impressive backdrop to the garden. The classic view of Engetsu-kyō bridge with the mountain in the background is one of the finest in Japan.
Enclosed by the garden are a number of interesting sights, including Sanuki Folkcraft Museum, which displays local crafts dating back to the Tokugawa dynasty. If you're a fan of matcha (powdered green tea) and traditional sweets, th…
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Godaisan Park
Several kilometres east of the town centre is the mountain of Godaisan, where there are excellent views out over the city from a lookout point (展望台) in a park. A short walk away at the top of the hill is Chikurin-ji (竹林寺), Temple 31 of the 88, where the main hall was built by the second Tosa daimyō, Yamanouchi Tadayoshi, in 1644. The extensive grounds also feature a five-storey pagoda and thousands of statues of the Bodhisattva Jizō, guardian deity of children and travellers. The Treasure Househosts an impressive collection of Buddhist sculpture from the Heian and Kamakura periods; the same ticket gets you into the lovely late-Kamakura-period garden opposite…
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Chūō-kōen
Northeast of the train station, on the slopes of Shiroyama, is Chūō-kōen, where you'll find the scant ruins of Tokushima-jō (Tokushima Castle). Built in 1585 for Hachisuka Iemasa after he was granted the fiefdom of Awa by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, most of the castle was destroyed in 1875 following the Meiji Restoration. If you're having problems imagining the former grandeur of the site, Tokushima Castle Museum contains an impressive reconstruction of the castle town at its peak, as well as the daimyō's (domain lord's) boat, some displays of armour, and letters to the local lord from Hideyoshi and the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu. The displays are all in Japanese. The bea…
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