Daytime Garden, Nighttime Garden

Korakuen has been constructed more than 300 years ago in an area along the Asahi River, right behind the even older Okayama Castle. Since the beginning, the garden has been used for the glory and honour of the feudal lord as well as his private vegetable garden, an oasis to rest, a place to enjoy and cultivate intellectual and military arts, and the site for religious events too. The feudal lords often used to spend many hours in the garden, sometimes until late at night, which means the garden is historically used at nighttime too. Nowadays, even if you are not a feudal lord, there are some wonderful occasions to enjoy Korakuen after the Sun sets.

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Fantasy Garden

The most important and by far most popular occasion to enjoy Korakuen at night is Fantasy Garden. This event was held for the first time in 2000 on the occasion of the grand celebrations for the 300th anniversary of the construction of the garden, formally finished in 1700: during the whole year Korakuen housed so many events, concerts, historical re-enactments and much more, and during summer a special night opening from mid-July to mid-August. Visitors were so charmed by the garden illuminated at night that this special event turned into an annual appointment, beloved by the people of Okayama and attended by many more from all over Japan and oversea too.

A Midsummer's Night Dream

Fantasy Garden is currently held in summer during the whole month of August, from 1 to 31, and occasionally for a couple of weeks in spring and/or autumn too. The garden keeps its gate open until 21:30 to let people enjoy the pleasure of a stroll among the groves, ponds and buildings illuminated by dream-like lights. The illumination changes every year and it usually follows a certain theme or suggestion: for example, this year's Summer Fantasy Garden theme was the famous fruits from Okayama (white peaches, white muscat & black pione grape and so on), so many round lanterns representing fruits and fruit-colored spotlights painted the garden with brilliant, somehow magical nuances.

I See the Light

Some places of the garden are usually embellished with light sculptures or art objects quite puzzling in plain daylight, but wonderful during nighttime. Among the many attractions, this year many have been attracted by the Sky Lantern, paper lanterns gently floating in the evening breeze; many found them resembling the ones of a famous animated film. Last but not least, for those interested in practical activities, Fantasy Garden often offers many arts & crafts workshops, concerts, tea ceremonies and so on. Something for every taste.

Claire de Lune

Another chance to enjoy nocturnal Korakuen is the Harvest Moon Viewing Ceremony. This event is intended to represent a historical ceremony performed by the feudal lords of the past to honour the Moon, and specifically the Full Moon rising on the 15th night of the 8th month according to the lunar calendar, equivalent to the Harvest Moon, the first Full Moon of Autumn. The garden is decorated with miscanthus and traditional mochi sweets (symbolically offered to the Moon), the lawns usually interdicted to the general public are opened to moonlight picnics, there are public tea ceremonies and nodate (tea party en plein air), a concert of Japanese traditional instruments creates the atmosphere... it really is an enchanting night.

"Nō" is for "Ability"

And in conclusion, a theater soirée. This is not really an event specifically thought to the held at night, but it is often scheduled at late hours, in particular during the Fantasy Garden events, so the ones attending it are usually entering Korakuen before the sunset and leaving it when the sky is already dark. Korakuen houses a splendid Nō Theater faithfully reconstructed after the destruction of the second world war and is still used nowadays for traditional plays, theater lessons, concerts and so on. To see a Nō play is an experience everyone should try once in their lifetime: this highly abstract performing art is characterized by noble themes, chanting recitation, precious costumes, hypnotic music, and inscrutable, subtly uncanny masks worn by actors. An arcane world alive on the stage.

Late Show

Korakuen is as enchanting under the Sun as under the Moon, just two different kinds of enchantment, and the only way to know which one is better, is to visit the garden both in the daytime and at nighttime!

Reporter:Mario Pasqualini