{"id":74181,"date":"2020-12-16T17:47:32","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T08:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=74181"},"modified":"2021-10-25T15:26:05","modified_gmt":"2021-10-25T06:26:05","slug":"wasedas-okuma-garden-a-haven-with-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181","title":{"rendered":"Waseda\u2019s Okuma Garden \u2013 A haven with history"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Each season in Japan is celebrated for the flourishes of its particular scenic beauty, and Okuma Garden is a treasure trove of these natural jewels. The springtime soil warms up to a pageant of cherry blossoms, azaleas, and wisteria vines, which follow with hydrangeas and floating lotuses boasted by the increasingly hotter months. Camellias bloom as the temperature drops, which is also showtime for the Japanese maple and maidenhair trees. This season is known as <em>koyo, <\/em>the autumnal phenomenon when the leaves change their color to a vibrant spectrum of yellows, oranges and reds. Nestled in the corner of the main campus, Okuma Garden lies between Okuma Auditorium on one side, and the stately university headquarters and Rihga Royal Hotel on the other. Okuma Garden\u2019s main entrance is directly opposite from Uni. Shop and Caf\u00e9 125, where students, visitors and locals with their toy poodles watch the colorful leaves swirl to the ground.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_74185\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-74185 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Okuma-pond-and-bridge-610x458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"610\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Okuma-pond-and-bridge-610x458.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Okuma-pond-and-bridge-360x270.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Okuma-pond-and-bridge-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Okuma-pond-and-bridge-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Okuma-pond-and-bridge-720x540.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A peaceful spot across the bridge<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Okuma Garden, or <em>Okuma Teien,<\/em> along with the various other places at Waseda bearing the same moniker, is named after Shigenobu Okuma, Waseda\u2019s founder. With influences of Western aesthetic, he remodeled the Chisen Kaiyu style garden in 1884, featuring a pond, artificial hills and an expansive clearing. He planted many kinds of plants, fruits and flowers, including chrysanthemums, orchids and palm trees, and erected a large greenhouse where melons were grown indoors for the first time in Japan. The garden was donated to Waseda University after his passing in 1922, but was seriously damaged by the 1945 air raid during World War II. Having been meticulously restored to its leafy lushness, Okuma Garden is a symbol of regrowth and renewal.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-74181 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181\/attachment\/10-okuma-auditorium-dog'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-Okuma-Auditorium-Dog.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-74189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-Okuma-Auditorium-Dog.jpg 3024w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-Okuma-Auditorium-Dog-610x813.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-Okuma-Auditorium-Dog-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-Okuma-Auditorium-Dog-2000x2667.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3024px) 100vw, 3024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-74189'>\n\t\t\t\tEnjoying the breeze outside Okuma Auditorium &#8211; only assistance dogs allowed inside Okuma Garden!\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181\/attachment\/2-okuma-entrance'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-Okuma-entrance.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-74188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-Okuma-entrance.jpg 3024w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-Okuma-entrance-610x813.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-Okuma-entrance-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-Okuma-entrance-2000x2667.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3024px) 100vw, 3024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-74188'>\n\t\t\t\tA brilliant yellow carpet at the Okuma Garden entrance.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181\/attachment\/3-okuma-pond'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2448\" height=\"3264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-Okuma-pond.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-74187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-Okuma-pond.jpg 2448w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-Okuma-pond-610x813.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-Okuma-pond-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-Okuma-pond-2000x2667.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2448px) 100vw, 2448px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-74187'>\n\t\t\t\tMomiji reflected from above; leaves floating on the pond and underwater.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>A large metal gate and a small pink and white wooden building stand at the path to Okuma Garden, which is the former gatehouse of Okuma\u2019s residence. Largely unscathed from the bombing that destroyed Okuma Garden and most of the property, it is the oldest building on Waseda campus, dating back to 1902. Past the quaint pink building at the entrance of the garden, a bridge leads through a trellis to a sensational array of greenery. Leaves and petals of all sizes and colors decorate the vast profusion of vegetal varieties.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-74181 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181\/attachment\/6-okuma-korean-bell'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2448\" height=\"3264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-Okuma-Korean-bell.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-74184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-Okuma-Korean-bell.jpg 2448w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-Okuma-Korean-bell-610x813.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-Okuma-Korean-bell-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-Okuma-Korean-bell-2000x2667.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2448px) 100vw, 2448px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-74184'>\n\t\t\t\tKorean temple bell donated by the Korean Alumni Association to commemorate 100th year founding of Waseda.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181\/attachment\/7-okuma-kanshin'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2448\" height=\"3264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-Okuma-Kanshin.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-74183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-Okuma-Kanshin.jpg 2448w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-Okuma-Kanshin-610x813.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-Okuma-Kanshin-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-Okuma-Kanshin-2000x2667.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2448px) 100vw, 2448px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-74183'>\n\t\t\t\tKanshiso, with pillars of natural chestnut wood, donated by an alumnus.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/74181\/attachment\/9-okuma-waseda-bear-gatehouse'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2448\" height=\"3264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-Okuma-Waseda-Bear-gatehouse.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-74191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-Okuma-Waseda-Bear-gatehouse.jpg 2448w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-Okuma-Waseda-Bear-gatehouse-610x813.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-Okuma-Waseda-Bear-gatehouse-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-Okuma-Waseda-Bear-gatehouse-2000x2667.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2448px) 100vw, 2448px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-74191'>\n\t\t\t\tUniversity&#8217;s mascot Waseda Bear looking out through the windows of the former Okuma Gatehouse. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Amidst the botanical splendors, Okuma Garden accommodates a variety of structures. From the very small to the considerably sizeable, these include special stones, lanterns, pagodas, bridges, statues, and buildings. Atop a hill at the back of the garden, two bronze statues overlook the grounds. To the right is a statue of Shigenobu Okuma\u2019s wife, Ayako Okuma (1850-1923), and to the left is one of Waseda University\u2019s fourth president, Hozumi Tanaka (1876-1944). Closer towards the entrance is a statue of Confucius, and nearby lies an exquisitely colored belfry, housing a Korean temple bell \u2013 a smaller-sized replica of <em>Shotoku-Daiou-Shinkyo<\/em>. <em>Kanshiso<\/em> is the name of the wooden structure in the opposite corner of the garden, built in 1952 near the former location of the Okuma residence\u2019s teahouse.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_74182\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-74182 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-Okuma-3-students-610x458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"610\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-Okuma-3-students-610x458.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-Okuma-3-students-360x270.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-Okuma-3-students-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-Okuma-3-students-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-Okuma-3-students-720x540.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Three students take a break from their Saturday studies.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Okuma Garden attracts many visitors with its peaceful harmony and rich verdancy. Waseda students find it a marvelous spot to take a break between classes or meet friends for lunch. It is a great place to practice preventative measures during the current coronavirus pandemic with a safe, socially distanced meeting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Information about Okuma Garden<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Opening times are Monday to Saturday during regular class schedule, from 9:00 \u2013 17:00 from April to September and 9:00 \u2013 16:30 from October to March. May be closed in case of rain or snow.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>*This article was written and contributed by the following student.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Student Contributor<\/strong><br \/>\nLinda Teresa Klausner<br \/>\nGraduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each season in Japan is celebrated for the flourishes of its particular scenic beauty, and Okuma Garden is a t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":74192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,117],"tags":[263,370],"class_list":["post-74181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-topic","tag-campus_scenes-en","tag-contributor-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74181"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75014,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74181\/revisions\/75014"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}