「旧 政所坊庭園」福岡県・”Kyu Mandokoro bo garden” Fukuoka-pref.

「旧 政所坊庭園」福岡県添田町英彦山

★ 名勝

政所坊庭園は英彦山神宮の奉幣殿から参道の階段を少し下り脇道を進んだ場所にあります。安土桃山時代末〜江戸初期1596~1615年頃築庭。鎌倉後期に英彦山の座主として迎えられた後伏見天皇の第六皇子「長助法親王・ちょうじょほうしんのう」(1320-1361)は高千穂家をおこし、以後、英彦山座主は世襲制となりました。しかし当初、高千穂家は英彦山に住まず、かっては都が置かれ平地で交通の便も良い「甘木・あまぎ」に居を構えていました。そのため政治の代行者として英彦山に置かれたのが政所坊です。そのため政所坊は座主血縁 の坊家として「曖坊(あつかいぼう)」と呼ばれ、雪舟作庭で有名な「旧亀石坊」と共に座主代を務めたのです。かっては庭に面して書院などの建物がありましたが、現在では失われ礎石を残すのみとなっています。庭は奥書院に面していた滝を中心とする小さな池泉庭と、表書院に面していた大きな池泉庭園の二つに分かれており、二つの池は約２０mほどの鑓水で繋がっています。いずれも鑑賞式の庭園です。奥書院は山の斜面のすぐそばにあり目の前に滝が流れていました。また、表書院の池泉庭の石組みは桃山時代の大胆な趣を残し大らかで明るく強さを感じさせます。なかでも池に浮かぶ蓬莱島の立石岩島や渦巻き状の奇岩や護岸石組の力強さが目を引いてます。私が訪れた時、英彦山ではちょうどクリンソウの花が満開で政所坊庭園の鑓水沿いにある薬草園でも多くのクリンソウが紫の可愛い花を咲かせていました。クリンソウはかって英彦山の宿坊で薬草として栽培されていたそうです。男臭い山伏たちがこんな可愛い小花を栽培していたとはちょっと意外ですね。この旧政所坊庭園は令和元年、国の名勝に指定されました。

◼︎名称：「旧 政所坊庭園」

◼︎住所：福岡県田川郡添田町英彦山６６５

◼︎TEL：0947-85-0001

◼︎見学料：無料　

◼︎駐車場：※徒歩で参道を登る場合は鋼鳥居周辺の有料駐車場を利用してください。

　　　　　※スロープカー利用の場合は無料駐車場が利用できます。

◼︎アクセス：大分自動車道杷木ICから約40分、銅鳥居からスロープカーで約15分

　　　　　　JR彦山駅からバス約20分、銅鳥居下車、スロープカー約15分

”Kyu Mandokorobo garden” Hikosan Soeda-town Fukuoka-pref.

★ scenic spot 　　　

"Kyu Mandokorobo Garden" is located at an altitude of 623m, from the Hikosan Jingu Shrine's Homonden, down the stairs on the approach road and follow the side road. The garden was built around the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period, 1596 to 1615. Emperor Go-Fushimi's sixth prince, Chojo Hosshinno (1320-1361), who was appointed as the lord of Mt. Hiko in the latter half of the Kamakura period, became the first Takachiho family, and since then, the lord of Mt. rice field.

However, at the beginning, the Takachiho family did not live on Mt. Hiko, but once settled in "Amagi", where the capital was located and the land was flat and convenient for transportation. Therefore, it was the government office that was placed on Mt. Hikosan as a political agent. For this reason, Masashobo was called "Atsukaibo" as a priest who was related to the lord, and served as the lord along with "Kyu-Kameishibo", who is famous for Sesshu gardening.

There used to be buildings such as the Shoin facing the garden, but now they are lost and only the cornerstone remains. The garden is divided into a small pond garden centered on the waterfall facing Okushoin and a large pond garden facing Omoteshoin, and the two ponds are connected by a waterway of about 20m. increase. Both are appreciation-style gardens.

Okushoin was right next to the slope of the mountain, and the water of the waterfall was flowing down right in front of the room.

The stonework of Omoteshoin's pond garden retains the bold taste of the Momoyama period and makes you feel generous, bright and strong. Among them, the strength of Tateishi Iwashima, spiral rocks and revetment stones on Horai Island floating in the pond is eye-catching.

When I visited, the Japanese primrose flowers were in full bloom on Mt. Hiko, and many Japanese primrose flowers were blooming in the herb garden along the waterway of the Mandokorobo garden. Japanese primrose was once cultivated as a medicinal herb at a shukubo on Mt. Hiko. It's a little surprising that the manly Yamabushi cultivated such cute florets. This "Kyu Mandokorobo Garden" was designated as a national scenic spot in the first year of Reiwa.

◼︎ Name: "Old Government Office Garden"

◼︎ Address: 665 Hikosan, Soeda-cho, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka

◼︎TEL: 0947-85-0001

◼︎ Visit fee: Free

◼︎ Parking lot: * When climbing the approach on foot, please use the toll parking lot around the steel torii gate.

* Free parking is available when using a slope car.

◼︎ Access: Approximately 40 minutes from the Haki IC on the Oita Expressway, approximately 15 minutes by slope car from the copper torii gate

Approximately 20 minutes by bus from JR Hikosan Station, get off at Copper Torii, and approximately 15 minutes by slope car