The Shukkeien Garden is a Japanese-style garden, whose name means “The Garden of Condensed Scenic Beauty”. The Japanese garden has evolved into an original art form and become an important part of the Japanese culture. Shukkeien was designed and built in 1620 by Soko Ueda, a master of the tea ceremony, as the garden of the villa for Asanu Nagaakira, a feudal lord of Hiroshima.

The garden consists of a central pond surrounded by many inlets, bridges and tea cottages and a diverse range of vegetation. The art of Japanese garden emphasizes the visual balance designed through the use of an asymmetrical balance between various elements, which creates a sense of unity and harmony. During the WWII, Shukkeien was designated as a public evacuation center. Many victims of the atomic bomb escaped to there after the bombing on August 6, 1945. The remains of those did not survive were buried in the garden. Now the garden has been rebuilt and become a place for visitors to enjoy a tranquil moment. Shukkeien is a very popular attraction with 30,000 visitors annually. It is located close to the Hiroshima Castle and the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum.