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jpNostalgia for the Boat Entertainment Enjoyed by Guests during the Edo Period
A Traditional Japanese Boat Specially Created for Shōsei-en Garden
―When preparations are ready at the Shukuen-tei teahouse on the North Island, a bell rings from the Garyū-dō Hall on the North Island. This is the signal for a boat loaded with guests to begin slowly rowing toward the teahouse.―
As an entertainment reception garden that has welcomed many guests, Shōsei-en has many records of guests who enjoyed the kind of boat entertainment described above. Although “Garyū-dō Hall” no longer exists, we have launched a project to create a traditional Japanese boat and recreate the boat entertainment once enjoyed by guests during the Edo period, giving guests a nostalgic taste of this era. Based upon a study of Higashi Honganji Temple’s historical documents and Japanese boat history, we commissioned Tomohiko Ogawa, one of Japan’s few boat carpenters, to complete a traditional Japanese boat befitting a guest reception garden like Shōsei-en.
Made from premium materials such as Japanese cryptomeria and cypress, one of the boat’s charms is its aromatic fragrance.