A garden adjacent to Isuien with three different styles: pond, moss and tea; free admission for foreigners.
The Yoshikien Garden is a hidden gem adjacent to the Isuien Garden, much less crowded and completely free for foreign visitors. To enter free of charge, you simply present your passport at the ticket office or fill in a small visitor survey. The garden brings together, in a small space, three different styles of Japanese gardening: a pond garden with carp and ducks, a moss garden of extraordinary beauty and a tea garden of impeccable austerity. The combination of the three styles in such a small space makes it an ideal place to understand the evolution of Japanese gardening. The atmosphere is noticeably quieter than other gardens in Nara even in high season, which makes it perfect for a contemplative pause. It opens from 09:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:30). It is a 15-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station and is naturally visited together with the Isuien Garden, as both share an entrance. The best time to visit it is in spring (cherry blossom and wisteria) and autumn (momiji). A 30-to-45-minute visit is enough, although few travellers want to leave with such calm around them.
