Renowned as a garden developed by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who assisted Tokugawa’s fifth shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (known as “dog shogun”, who prohibited to kill animals”), the Rikugien – literally 6 justice in Japanese – is small but well organized garden.
It is designed to replicate the Wakano-ura, which locates in current Wakayama prefecture. As the Wakano-ura (or literally “Japanese poetries’ seashore”) is known as “the sanctuary of Japanese poetries” with its such beaty of scenery to compose Japanese some lines of poets, the name of “6 justice” came from 6 categories of Japanese poetries, following Chinese categorization of poetries.
Serene, pastral and managed beauty of the scene is comfortable enough even you are out of the world of Japanese poetries.
Nice to strolling around, and you’ll see the essence of Japanese strolling garden, that tries to replicate the scene you (or Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, himself) saw.
They are explanation of what “Wakano-ura” is. It’s sufficient for me, as a guide LOL