Mori Garden

The Mori family were the rulers of the Choshu domain (modern-day Yamaguchi Prefecture), until the domain system was abolished by the Meiji Government in 1871. The family’s former main residence in Hofu is now open to the public as a museum, along with its stunning gardens. The Mori Garden is planted with azaleas, maples, cherry blossoms and other seasonal flowers and trees, and it is an elegant example of garden design from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with artificial ponds and islands, stone bridges, and manicured shrubbery. The second floor of the residence affords views over the garden and as far as the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. The garden is a National Monument for its scenic beauty. It is accessible by bus or car from JR Hofu Station.