Spectacular Japanese gardens, Kagoshima Sengan-en

The Sengan-en garden in Kagoshima was built by the Shimazu family, the rulers of the Satsuma domain, at the beginning of the Edo period. It was originally designed as a place for relaxation, but after the Meiji Restoration the 29th head of the family, Tadayoshi Shimazu, erected here a luxurious villa, the Iso Residence. The house later became the Shimazu main residence and, surviving intact until today, it is opened for visitors.