Shōyō-en Garden

Stunning in autumn. There are walkways throughout the small garden for the photographer for find inspiration. The ticket to the small, attached museum comes with the garden and you can get that plus the two tickets for the temple as a set for a cheaper cost. You might think you don't want to go, but you should -- it's really beautiful.

Shōyō-en Garden, located next to Rinnō-ji Temple in Nikkō, is a beautifully preserved Edo-period landscape garden featuring ponds, stone lanterns, and carefully arranged pines and maples. It’s a peaceful oasis that reflects the changing seasons in a truly poetic way. I really loved my visit — even though it was drizzling, or maybe because it was. Everything looked so green, fresh, and fragrant with rain, and the whole garden felt serene and magical. A perfect place to slow down and just breathe in the beauty of nature.

Nice small garden amongst all the temples in the area. Would be a quiet spot if not for all the noise from the road. Not a lot in bloom in August, but there's a nice walk around the grounds and pond areas, and the Y300 admission also allows access to the gallery with Tokugawa portraits and several artifacts.

A small Japanese-style garden that offers a peaceful atmosphere, surrounded by trees, a pond, and rocks, all designed in traditional Japanese style. The view becomes even more stunning during the autumn foliage season, making it a perfect spot for photography. If you’re visiting during the fall, I highly recommend purchasing a ticket to explore the garden up close—it’s definitely worth it for the beautiful scenery.

Impressive colours, so some great photos during autumn.

Very small garden. But the landscape was nice. You can finish strolling in the garden in less than 10 minutes. Unless you just stand there in a daze though.. you probably spend longer time in the garden.. It is quite a cute little garden anyway. Since you are already in the area, just don’t miss out.

It was a wonderful experience that I had by myself as I was walking around and about Nikko. I don't think there was anyone else there when I visited in wintertime. A beautiful and relaxing environment filled with history and immaculately kept gardens. When I went, there was a fee to enter. However, it was not a bad price for the experience.

It is my favourite Japanese garden so far! The leaves during autumn are so colourful.