Fukushuen

Having been to a number of East Asian gardens, Fukushuen or Fuzhou Garden of Naha, Okinawa appeared less impressive to me than it actually was.

It was vast and certainly had an aesthetic to it. Loved how it wasn’t crowded and how the young employee was open to my visit and did not question the fact that I was from America. I think that’s something I will always like about Okinawa; the bulk of people here seem to understand that you can look like them but be from America. (The older employee thought I was a native from “mainland” Japan but was super sweet regardless.)

I loved having the gardens to myself, save for a couple of families that happened to be there. Having the gardens to myself (for the most part) enabled me to explore the details of Fukushuen’s grounds.

I had the opportunity to get close to a towering “pagoda” which had a plethora of intricate designs and carvings on it.

I had the chance to chill and watch koi try to get my attention for food. Although I didn’t feed them, you can purchase a box of pellets for the koi.

I also had the chance to sit on top of a waterfall that overlooks the grounds of the gardens.

At Fukushuen. time seemed to come to a standstill. I liked this about the garden as it encouraged me to take my time to breathe, reflect and relax. This garden is definitely a place you want to come to if you want to momentarily escape from the outside world.

At a reasonable admission price, Fukushuen is a place that offers great respite. If you’ve never visited a Chinese style garden, I recommend visiting Fukushuen as I doubt you’ll be disappointed on your visit.