Built for a samurai in 1620, Shukkei-en is walking distance from Hiroshima Castle. Its name means ‘shrunken scenic garden,’ and it’s believed to be modelled on the lake in Hangzhou, China, while rocks represent mountains and islands in the Seto Inland Sea.
The size of Hiroshima’s baseball stadium, it takes about 40 minutes to stroll the path that winds around the lake, which is filled with carp and turtles. As well as peony and herb gardens, you can amble through a plum orchard and past bamboo, maple and gingko trees. In autumn, the trees are illuminated at night, while stone lanterns make dark corners glow. If you need a pitstop, have a rest in one of its teahouses.