{"id":8584,"date":"2024-01-24T13:58:09","date_gmt":"2024-01-24T12:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/provencelovers.fr\/visit-japanese-garden-monaco\/"},"modified":"2024-06-16T10:14:19","modified_gmt":"2024-06-16T08:14:19","slug":"visit-japanese-garden-monaco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/provencelovers.fr\/en\/visit-japanese-garden-monaco\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese garden (Monaco): visit + photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Looking for greenery<\/strong> during your visit to Monaco? We recommend a visit to the Japanese Garden<\/strong> in the Larvotto district. Although small, this garden respects the principles of Zen thinking<\/strong>. It was created by Japanese landscape architect Yasuo Beppu<\/strong> at the request of Prince Rainier III in 1994. It’s the perfect place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city!<\/p>\n\n

Here are our useful tips<\/strong> for planning your visit to the Japanese Garden in the Principality of Monaco.<\/p>\n\n

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This guide is completely independent<\/strong>, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Is a visit to Monaco’s Japanese Garden worthwhile?<\/h2>\n\n

Yes, it’s worth a visit. Green spaces are always appreciated in the Principality. Even if this small garden quickly becomes a tour de force, it offers a certain change of scenery, combining Japanese tradition with Mediterranean essences. We enjoyed watching the many koi carp in the main pool and strolling over the Japanese bridges that cross it.<\/p>\n\n

It’s one of Monaco’s most beautiful gardens<\/a> and one of the city’s best activities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

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What you can see<\/h2>\n\n

The main gate<\/h3>\n\n
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The main portal allows visitors to immerse themselves directly in the land of the rising sun! We recommend that you take the time to read the explanatory panels along the way. Thanks to this, we learned that the tiles used on this massive entrance came from the Japanese island of Awaji. In Japan, tiles replaced straw roofs, which were too fragile, from the 17th century onwards (Edo era). Finally, the “devil” tiles at either end of the portal were once used to ward off evil spirits. In any case, we thought they gave this set a nice decorative touch!<\/p>\n\n

The Pierre Fontaine and other sculptures<\/h3>\n\n
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Once inside, we turned left. We came across the Pierre Fontaine. Installed in a small pool, this round sculpture, decorated with Japanese signs, intrigued us. It is from this stone that the spring flows into the large basin. Symbolically, it ensures the Principality’s prosperity. Decorative stone lanterns can be seen along the way. Originally, they enabled worshippers to light candles in honor of deities near Japanese temples.<\/p>\n\n

The covered terrace and its Japanese dolls<\/h3>\n\n
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You won’t want to miss the covered garden terrace. In fact, it’s the most imposing traditional Japanese building on the tour, and our favorite of the visit. The interior is open onto the large basin, and offers the most beautiful view of its curved red Japanese deck. Showcases displaying traditional Japanese objects are installed in this building. We were able to observe this magnificent doll, as well as a reduction of Samurai armor, offered to Prince Rainier III on the occasion of the purification of the Japanese Garden.<\/p>\n\n

The big pond and its carp<\/h3>\n\n
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We then crossed over to the main pool, taking time to sit on the edge and watch the koi carp. A wide variety of carp live in the pond. We learned to recognize them thanks to an explanatory panel with their Japanese names. If we’ve understood their differences correctly, this pretty carp appears to be an Ochiba Shigure.<\/p>\n\n

The Tea House<\/h3>\n\n
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After crossing the pond, we were drawn to this small traditional house, called the “Tea House”. On its pediment, we noticed 2 Japanese signs and their French equivalent, “Ga-\u00e9n” meaning “Grace Garden”, in homage to Princess Grace of Monaco. You’ll notice that the entrance is very small. It’s a deliberate choice, aimed at imposing a certain humility on guests. This is the type of house where tea ceremonies are held in Japan. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get in as it was closed.<\/p>\n\n

The dry landscape<\/h3>\n\n
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Next to the Tea House, you may be surprised to see this expanse of small stones, contrasting with the rest of the greener garden. As far as we were concerned, we were somewhat surprised by the shapes drawn on the floor. The cartel helped us understand that these lines represented islands emerging from the water. This reminded us of the configuration of the large basin, featuring several small islands made of pebbles. This area, known as the “dry landscape”, is made up of Cap Corse<\/a> stone.<\/p>\n\n

The waterfall<\/h3>\n\n
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Finally, we had to mention the garden’s beautiful waterfall, in front of which we stood for a few minutes. We wanted to enjoy the sound of falling water in the pool, which almost covered the hustle and bustle of city life. Waterfalls are an important part of Japanese symbolism. Their verticality expresses the power of man and nature, and evokes the divine mountains of the land of the rising sun.<\/p>\n\n

Access to the Japanese Garden in Monaco<\/h2>\n\n

Where is the garden?<\/h3>\n\n