It was completed in 1745 as a private strolling garden and villa for the local feudal lords, and opened to the public in 1875.

[1] Ritsurin is one of the largest strolling gardens in Japan,[2] and a major tourist attraction for Kagawa Prefecture.

The southern portion is in traditional Japanese style, with historic teahouses and numerous shaped pine trees.

In 1625, the feudal lord of Takamatsu in Sanuki Province, Ikoma Takatoshi, began construction of Ritsurin, specifically the building of a garden around the South Pond using the beautiful greenery of Mt.

Despite an initial proposal to build a silk mill, Ritsurin was designated a prefectural garden and opened to the public on 16 March 1875.