「美々津軒庭園（矢野家庭園）」 / 宮崎県日向市・Mimitsu-Ken (Yano Family Garden) / Miyazaki-pref

宮崎県日向市の日本庭園 (3)

美々津軒庭園（矢野家庭園）

港町・美々津は神武天皇の東征の頃より瀬戸内海を抜けて関西へ向かう海上交通における九州の玄関口でしたが、明治時代の鉄道の発達により交通の主役が陸路にうつると町は衰退しました。しかし時代に取り残され忘れ去られたおかげで時が止まった美々津には江戸～昭和初期の町がそっくり残され、幸いなことに第二次大戦の戦火も免れ、国の重要伝統的建造物群保存地区に指定されて以降、老朽化した町家群は着々と保存修復が進んで観光地となっています。そして庭園ファンには嬉しいことにその商家のほとんどが裏に坪庭を有していたのです。それらの多くは枯山水で、客間として使用した奥座敷に面しています。今回紹介する「美々津軒」は矢野家が営んだ廻船問屋（海運業）で、およそ１４０年前、明治17年（1884）の建築です。美々津軒庭園の特徴は色・形状・質感が異なる沢山の飛び石を裏庭に並べていることです。この飛び石は建物の台所の土間＝屋内と屋外に連続して統一感を持って並べられいます。さらに奥座敷に面した枯山水とも連携しており不思議な調和を見せています。この飛び石が並ぶ地面はモルタルが塗られていますが、昔は苔が生えていたそうです。奥の居住棟に続く地面にその苔が残っています。見た目は美しい苔ですが、あまりにもジメジメして暮らしに不向きであったために、数年前にモルタルで塗ってしまったと矢野家の奥様が仰っていました。庭園ファンとしては苔を維持して欲しかった気もしますが、調和に配慮して塗られたモルタルは違和感なく庭に溶け込んでいます。ちょっと乾いた感じが地中海風で私は大好きでした。この庭園と町家は矢野家の奥様が好意で無料公開して下さっています。

■名称：美々津軒庭園（矢野家庭園）

■住所： 宮崎県日向市美々津町3328

■TEL：0982-58-1229

■公開時間：9:00～16:30 入館料／無料

■休館日：毎週月曜日

■駐車場：徒歩７分の防波堤沿いに無料駐車場とトイレがあります）

■アクセス：①JR日豊本線日向市駅よりタクシーで20分

　　　　　  ②東九州道日向ICより国道１０号線経由で自家用車で１５分

Japanese garden of Hyuga-city Miyazaki (３)

Mimitsuken Garden (Yano Family Garden)

Mimitsu has been the gateway to Kyushu for maritime transportation through the Seto Inland Sea to Kansai since the time of Emperor Jimmu's eastern expedition, but due to the development of railways during the Meiji era, land routes became the leading role in transportation, and the town declined. However, the town of Mimitsu from Edo to the early Showa period was left behind because it was left behind and forgotten in the times, and fortunately it escaped the war of World War II and preserved the important traditional buildings of the country. Since being designated as a district, the dilapidated townhouses have been steadily preserved and restored.

And to the delight of garden fans, most of the merchants had a tsubo-niwa in the back. Most of them are dry landscape gardens, facing the back room used as a guest room. "Mimitsuken" introduced this time is a shipping wholesaler (shipping industry) run by the Yano family, and was built about 140 years ago in 1884. The feature of Mimitsuken Garden is that many stepping stones with different colors, shapes and textures are lined up in the backyard. These stepping stones are lined up in a unified manner in the kitchen of the building = indoors and outdoors. In addition, it cooperates with the dry landscape garden facing the Okuzashiki, showing a mysterious harmony. The ground where these stepping stones are lined up is painted with mortar, but it seems that moss grew in the past. The moss remains on the ground leading to the residential building in the back. The moss looks beautiful, but the wife of the Yano family said that it was painted with mortar a few years ago because it was too damp and unsuitable for real life. As a garden fan, I think I wanted to keep the moss, but the mortar painted in consideration of the harmony of the garden was successful, and the dry air feeling was Mediterranean style and I loved it. But I wish I could return it to moss someday. This garden and townhouse are open to the public for free by the wife of the Yano family.

■ Name: Mimitsuken Garden ( Yano Family Garden)

■ Address: 3328 Mimitsumachi, Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture

■ TEL: 0982-58-1229

■ Opening hours: 9:00 to 16:30, admission fee / free

■ Closed: Every Monday

■ Parking: There is a free parking lot and toilet along the breakwater, which is a 7-minute walk away.)

■ Access: 20 minutes by taxi from Hyugashi Station on the JR Nippou Line

15 minutes by private car from Higashi Kyushu Expressway Hyuga IC via Route 10