Modelled after West Lake in Hangzhou, China, and built in 1620 for the local daimyō, this garden's name means 'contracted view' — it attempts to recreate grand vistas in miniature. Pathways lead through a series of landscapes around an island-dotted pond, each turn revealing a new composition. After the emotional weight of the Peace Park, the gentle beauty of Shukkei-en offers a needed counterpoint, a reminder of Hiroshima's long history before and beyond that single day.