Oct 18, 2014 - 1 min read

Beautiful Garden of Fukui's Library

Enjoy a leisurely picnic in a gorgeous garden!

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Look at the spacious lawn! And nobody was enjoying it!

Beautiful pond and lawn surround the library building, and you can enjoy strolling in its vast garden as well

Modern library buildings designed by the world-renowned architect, Mr. Fumihiko Maki

Spacious garden of Fukui Prefectural library under the brilliant autumn sun

Take a walk along the path enjoying the beautiful architecture

Walking path leading to a street outside the library, from which you can enter the garden without checking in at the library counter

Long walkway stretches out into a forested garden park

Wow! I felt like I could walk to the edge of the horizon!

My exact position on the earth at the time was 'N36° 2'11''.03' !

In the courtyard of the library several benches are placed for visitors to sit, but nobody was enjoying this luxury!

Trees casting shadows on the lawn...it would be nice to lie down and bask in the sun here!

Clear view of Fukui Prefectural Library in contrast with the blue sky

Beautiful brick-color building standing high in the sky

The current Fukui Prefectural Library opened in 2003 in the suburbs of Fukui city. It is 27 minutes by a free shuttle bus from JR Fukui Station. Despite its relatively inconvenient location, Fukui's citizens regularly visit this library to rent books, study, or to just chill out because...this place is FABULOUS! No wonder Fukui ranks No. 1 in library book rental ranking in Japan. Especially, when I first 'discovered' it (just yesterday), I was amazed by its space and beautiful garden park. But despite its beauty, I didn't find ANYBODY in the garden, so I thought it must be forbidden to enter, and asked a staff member. She said, 'You can enter and enjoy it freely'. Of course I did, and this gorgeous garden became MY GARDEN yesterday. I ran around like a child and swore that I would picnic here one day soon! And you should, too!

Fukui Prefectural Library Series 1. Gorgeous Fukui Prefectural Library 2. Beautiful Garden of Fukui's Library