Autumn leaves around the fountain of Kenrokuen garden (Kanazawa-city)

Kenroku-en is a garden of flowing water, where various watercourses, together with diverse plantings and stone arrangements, create the unique scenery of this historic Daimyo garden.

Abundant water drawn from the Saigawa River through the Tatsumi-yousui Canal is stored in Kasumiga-ike pond of this garden. This water then flows through underground channels and is spouted high into the air from this Japan's oldest fountain by utilizing the garden's natural difference of elevation. 

A teahouse once stood before this fountain, where the feudal lords of the Maeda family are said to have enjoyed tea ceremonies while admiring their treasured fountain throughout the changing seasons.

Hunsui fountain in the Kenroku-en Garden (Kanazawa-city)

This is the oldest existing fountain in Japan, located opposite the site of demolished Shigure-tei (drizzling-rain cottage).

Thanks to the height difference with the Kasumiga-ike pond, water descends from this pond through the underground stone-pipe of Tatsumi-yousui and spouts out by the inverted siphon action.

Shigure-tei was a teahouse in this garden, which had existed since the 5th feudal lord Tsunanori created this garden, and was mainly used for the tea ceremony. After the abolition of clans in the early Meiji era, it was unfortunately demolished. In 2000, it was restored at a different location with the completion of the new garden.