「山水園」山口県・”Sansuien” Yamaguchi-pref.

★名勝・Scenic spot

山水園は、大正時代に建てられた実業家の別荘からはじまり昭和十一年に持ち主が変わり旅館として創業した際に増築。その後、昭和二十年および三十八年に行われた増築で、表千家の茶室を多く手がけた数寄屋建築の専門家・笛吹嘉一郎・うすいかいちろう（1898-1969）が設計を担当、室内にはさりげない数寄屋の遊びが散りばめられ、ラウンジでは本来は小さな花狭間を大胆にもガラス引き戸一枚にあしらうなどあっと言わせ、その芸術性の高さが認められ文化財指定に至りました。

同じく山水園庭園も文化財に指定され笛吹嘉一郎が京都から連れてきた庭師・後藤重栄が笛吹のもとで手がけました。庭園の順路は南端に建っている「いばらき門」です。（見学料金を払うと門を開けてくれます）この茅葺きの美しい門は奈良「慈光院」の門の写しで笛吹嘉一郎の設計により二階が茶室に変更されています。この門は天井の割竹の隙間から漆喰を均等に露出させるなど高度な大工の技にあふれ大変見ごたえがあります。門の側には桂離宮の三角雪見灯籠・写しがさりげなく置かれています。このいばらき門から庭に入ると石を据えて砂紋を描いた白砂の枯山水庭園が遠路より低い眼下につくられています。実はこの枯山水は、すぐそばの水をたたえた堀とつながった池でしたが水をせき止め、あえて水を使わない枯山水庭に作り直したものです。本来池の底だった低い位置に作られた枯山水と旅館の客室には高低差が生まれ建物は楼閣の如しです。このような逆転の発想は笛吹嘉一郎の特徴で庭園にも笛吹のセンスが溢れています。枯山水に面する客室棟は昭和二十年に笛吹嘉一郎が設計したもので二階「雲井の間」の窓辺には京都「修学院離宮」中御茶屋・客殿の「網干の欄干」がつけられ雅な雰囲気です。

さらに進むと閉鎖的な露地のエリアです。複数の茶室および玄関の奥にあるラウンジに面して作られた露地の園路は複雑に入り組み庭木に埋もれ迷路のようにつづいています。足元の飛び石や延段の美しさ、また木材を地面に埋め込みその断面を花模様に見せる珍しい設えなどに目を凝らしながら歩いていくと行くと、さらに石はもちろん陶器など様々な素材そして形の手水鉢が目に楽しく、また腰掛待合や滅多に見ることができない雪隠そして中門や揚げ簾戸など茶道に深く親しまなければ体験できない様々な露地の景物を目にすることができます。門をくぐるときは背が高い人は頭をぶつけないように気をつけてください。

露地を抜けると視界は一気に開け開放的な池泉回遊式庭園に至ります。池を中心とする庭は大正期の別荘時代に作られましたが笛吹嘉一郎と後藤重栄によって手が加えられています。背後の山を借景としその裾野の傾斜を築山として二つの滝から温泉水を池にながしこみ池は通年暖かく鯉も冬眠しません。池は５つの入江があり個性を競っています。なかでも八橋がかけられた入江の奥には非常に凝った枯滝石組みもあり複雑な光景です。しかしその複雑さを払拭するように池の中央を一直線に横断する西湖堤が池の景観を引き締めています。また池の周囲の園路沿いの四つ腰掛け四阿「萬寿亭」は京都桂離宮の「卍亭」の写しで笛吹嘉一郎の設計です。このように笛吹嘉一郎によって京都の雅で格式高い文化が移植されこの庭園で美しく花開いているのです。それはまさに西の京・山口にふさわしい言えます。また山水園庭園は日本を代表する３つの庭園様式「枯山水」「露地」「池泉回遊式庭園」が同時にしかも本格的に楽しめる素晴らしい庭園です。

■名称：名勝山水園

■住所：山口県山口市緑町４−６０

■TEL：083-922-0560

■公開時間：チェックアウトとチェックインのあいだの時間のみ宿泊者以外も有料で見学できます。

　　　　　　正確な時間や料金は電話で問い合わせ。

■駐車場：有り

■アクセス：中国自動車道：小郡ICより　約15分

山陽自動車道：防府東ICより　約30分

"Sansuien" Yamaguchi-pref.

★名勝・Scenic spot

Sansuien started from a businessman's villa built in the Taisho era, and was expanded when the owner changed in 1945 and it was founded as an inn. After that, in the extension carried out in 1945 and 1938, the sukiya architecture expert "Usuka Ichirou" who worked on many tea rooms of the Omotesenke was in charge of the design, and the high artistry was recognized. It has been designated as a cultural property. The Sansuien Garden is also designated as a scenic spot.

The garden was created by Goto, a gardener brought from Kyoto by "Usuka Ichirou". The route of the garden is "Ibaraki Gate" which is located in the south of the garden. (The gate will open if you pay the tour fee.) This beautiful thatched-roof gate is a copy of the gate of "Jikoin" in Nara, and the second floor has been changed to a tea room by the design of "Usuka Ichiro". It is full of very elaborate Sukiya designs and is impressive. A copy of the Katsura Imperial Villa's triangular snow-viewing lantern is placed on the side of the gate. When you enter the garden from this Ibaraki Gate, a dry landscape garden with garden stones placed like an island in a white sand field with sand crests is built at a place much lower than the garden road. In fact, this dry landscape garden was a pond connected to a moat filled with water nearby. However, Goto dammed the water and remade it into a dry landscape garden that does not use water.

Looking up at the inn building from the dry landscape garden that was originally created at the bottom of the pond, there is a height difference and it looks like a tower even though it is a two-story building. This guest room building was designed by "Usuka Ichirou" in 1945. On the second floor, "Kumoi no Ma", there is an elegant atmosphere with the "Aboshi balustrade" of the middle teahouse and guest hall of Kyoto "Shugakuin Imperial Villa".

From here onward is the "Roji / Tea Garden" area. The "Roji / Tea Garden" garden path, which faces multiple tea rooms and guest lounges, is intricately intricate and is buried in garden trees and continues like a maze. As you proceed while paying close attention to the stepping stones and the beauty of the steps, you will find the sitting waiting room, the tsukubai and the chozubachi with different settings that are fun to see, and even those who learn the tea ceremony such as Nakamon and Agesudo will experience it. You can see various "Roji / tea garden" attractions that you cannot do. When going through the gate, be careful not to hit your head if you are tall. After passing through the closed "Roji", the field of view opens at once and leads to the open Chisenkaiyushiki-teien. The garden centered around the pond was built during the villa period of the Taisho era. With the mountain behind as a borrowed landscape and the slope of the base as an artificial hill, hot spring water is poured into the pond from two waterfalls, and the pond is warm all year round and the carp does not hibernate. The pond has five coves. At the back of the cove where one of them, Yabashi, is hung, there is also a complex-shaped dead waterfall stonework. The landscape is tightened by the West Lake embankment that crosses the center of the pond in a straight line. In addition, Shia, which is built along the garden road that goes around the pond, is a copy of "Manji-tei" at Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto and is designed by "Usui Kaichiro". Sansuien Garden is a wonderful garden where you can enjoy the three representative garden styles of Japan, "Karsansui", "Roji / Tea Garden" and "Chisenkai yushiki-teien" in earnest.

■ Name: Scenic Sansuien

■ Address: 4-60 Midoricho, Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

■ TEL: 083-922-0560

■ Opening hours: Only during the time between check-out and check-in, non-guests can visit for a fee.

Inquire by phone for the exact time and fee.

■ Parking lot: Yes

■ Access: Chugoku Expressway: Approximately 15 minutes from Ogori IC

Sanyo Expressway: Approximately 30 minutes from Hofu-higashi IC