Shinsenen Garden

Japanese: 神泉苑 - しんせんえん

<br /> A garden in Monzen- cho , Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. It is an imperial garden (imperial garden) that Emperor Kanmu established in the marshes south of the Daidai-ri Palace when Heian-kyo was constructed in 794 ( Enryaku ¹³ ). It was named Shinsen-en because a clear spring always flows from it, and a large pond, springs, forests and other natural features were incorporated into the garden, which covers an area of 120,000 m2, and a palace was built in the northern part of the grounds. Emperors and aristocrats would come here to enjoy boating, flower viewing, archery and sumo, and the name Oike-dori ( Oike Street ) was derived from this. The grounds were reduced in size when Tokugawa Ieyasu built Nijo Castle in 1602 ( Keicho 7), but the Heian period still remains today. Within the grounds are Hojobashi Bridge, which is said to grant wishes, and Toshitokujin , which enshrines the lucky direction of the year. Shinsen-en is also known as a sacred place. In 824 ( Tencho 1), Emperor Junna, who was suffering from a severe drought, ordered Kobo Daishi ( Kukai ) to invite Zennyoryuo (the Dragon King) to Shinsen-en to perform a rain-making ritual, and a dragon rose to the heavens from Hojojuike Pond, and rain fell. In 863 (Jogan 5), a Goryoe ceremony was held here, which became the origin of the Gion Festival Yamaboko Parade. It is also famous as the place where Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Shizuka Gozen met. It was designated a national historic site in 1935 (Showa 10). It is about a 4-minute walk from Nijo-jo-mae Station on the Tozai Subway Line.

Source: Kodansha National Historic Site Guide Information

Japanese:

京都府京都市中京区門前町にある庭園。794年（延暦13）の平安京造営の際に、桓武(かんむ)天皇が大内裏(だいだいり)南の沼沢に設けた禁苑（天皇の庭）である。つねに清泉が湧き出すことから神泉苑と名づけられ、12万m²もの広さの苑内には大池や泉、森林などの自然を取り入れた庭が造られて、敷地の北部には宮殿が建てられた。天皇や貴族はここで舟遊びや観花、弓射、相撲などの宴を催し、御池通(おいけどおり)の名の由来にもなった。1602年（慶長7）の徳川家康による二条城築城の際に敷地が削減されたが、現在も平安の面影を残している。境内には願いが叶う法成橋(ほうじょうばし)や、年の恵方(えほう)を祀る歳徳神(としとくじん)がある。また、神泉苑は霊場としても知られ、824年（天長1）に大干ばつに悩む淳和(じゅんな)天皇の勅命により、弘法大師（空海）が神泉苑に善女龍王(ぜんにょりゅうおう)を勧請して雨乞いの修法をほどこすと、法成就池(ほうじょうじゅいけ)から龍が天に昇り、雨が降ったという伝説が残っている。863年（貞観5）には御霊会(ごりょうえ)が行われ、祇園祭山鉾(ぎおんまつりやまぼこ)巡行の起源となった。源義経と静御前(しずかごぜん)の出会いの場としても有名である。1935年（昭和10）に国の史跡に指定された。地下鉄東西線二条城前駅から徒歩約4分。

出典　講談社国指定史跡ガイドについて　情報

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