Did you know that the only officially-recognized reproduction of Monet’s garden in Giverny is located in Kochi Prefecture?

Instead of copying the gardens at Claude Monet’s home in Giverny, Monet’s Garden Marmottan in Kitagawa Village
has actually brought the artist’s paintings to life. You feel like you have stepped into one of the artist’s Impressionist landscapes, walking by weeping willows, the famous water lilies and over 70,000 different plants.

Monet’s Garden Marmottan in Kitagawa Village https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10003

Three separate gardens capture different periods in Monet’s artistic style. The Water Garden is inspired by his iconic paintings of water lilies. The bright blue water lilies are one of the highlights, as while Monet often painted the flowers in this hue, he was never able to grow them in Giverny. So, in a way, the artist’s dream has become a reality in Kochi!

The Flower Garden captures the layered colors that distinguish Monet’s works. Plants, flowers and trees are carefully planted at different heights, to create a real-life watercolor. Although it is particularly vibrant in the summer, throughout the year different flowers come into bloom, creating seasonal landscapes.

The Garden of Bordighera celebrates the artist’s somewhat lesser known Mediterranean period. Kochi’s warm climate is ideal for plants from the region, and the palms, olives and bougainvillea look right at home.

This flower-filled oasis is an easy day trip from Kochi City. There are regular trains to Nahari Station, from where visitors can catch one of the six daily shuttles to the garden.