Nakatsu Bansho-En Garden, Marugame

A bus ride or longish walk from Marugame station, Nakatsu Bansho-En is a peaceful traditional garden, with over 1500 dwarf pine trees and hundreds of other plants and trees, giving it the air of a fantasy castle park. It's designed around a miniature lake criss-crossed by bridges and stepping-stones connecting its eight small islands; on a better day than I had, I imagine these will be reflected beautifully in the water of the lake. The ¥1000 admission fee also includes the Gallery of Ceramics, with ancient pottery, glassware and statues, and the Marugame Gallery, with classical European paintings by artists such as Jean-Francois Millet and Theodore Rousseau.