Ofunairi Dock Site
Okayama Korakuen is located on an island across the Asahi River from Okayama Castle. The Ofunairi was the inlet and landing dock on the island that was used by the daimyo lords of the Edo period (1603–1867) when they visited the garden by boat from the castle, entering from the special gate originally built for them (Onari Gomon). The site of this former entrance is located on the shore just behind the garden’s southern perimeter.
During the 1800s the inlet gradually filled in with sediment transported by the river. The Onari Gomon was relocated eastward to the location where the current South Gate stands today. During the Taisho era (1912–1926) when the garden’s outer promenade was constructed, the inlet was entirely filled in and the entrance closed for good.
The remains of the dock and stone staircase (gangi) leading up to the Onari Gomon were excavated in 2012 based on Edo-period historical maps and opened to the general public for viewing in 2014. In addition to the staircase, traces of the pathway that led to the gate are still visible to this day.