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The garden is also home to the oldest ''kyokusui'' garden in Japan,<ref>A style of garden designed to allow for imitation of the famous Orchid Pavilion Gathering organized by Wang Xizhi in [[353]], in which participants floated wine cups on a small stream within Wang's garden, and played a game of trying to compose a poem before the next cup passed them.</ref> and a variety of [[Bakumatsu period|Bakumatsu]]/[[Meiji period]] technological innovations, including a hydroelectric dam which powered not only the factories of the Shûseikan complex, but also electric lights within the Iso residence. The first gaslamp in Japan was lit within a stone lantern in the garden in [[1857]].<ref>Plaque for gaslights on "History and Culture Street," just outside the walls and moat of the former site of [[Kagoshima castle]].[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15210448476/sizes/l]</ref>
The garden is also home to the oldest ''kyokusui'' garden in Japan,<ref>A style of garden designed to allow for imitation of the famous Orchid Pavilion Gathering organized by Wang Xizhi in [[353]], in which participants floated wine cups on a small stream within Wang's garden, and played a game of trying to compose a poem before the next cup passed them.</ref> and a variety of [[Bakumatsu period|Bakumatsu]]/[[Meiji period]] technological innovations, including a hydroelectric dam which powered not only the factories of the Shûseikan complex, but also electric lights within the Iso residence. The first gaslamp in Japan was lit within a stone lantern in the garden in [[1857]].<ref>Plaque for gaslights on "History and Culture Street," just outside the walls and moat of the former site of [[Kagoshima castle]].[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15210448476/sizes/l]</ref>
[[Shimazu Shigehide]] built a waterfall-viewing pavilion in [[1799]] on the hill overlooking the gardens. Known as ''shita no ochaya'' (tearoom in the lower part [of the garden]), it was built in the ''azumaya'' style; this pavilion is no longer extant.
The Iso Palace became the chief Kagoshima residence of the Shimazu in [[1871]], following the [[Meiji Restoration]], when the [[Meiji government|new national government]] took over [[Kagoshima castle]]. Most of the compound was renovated in [[1884]], and about a third of the residence's buildings survive today.
The Iso Palace became the chief Kagoshima residence of the Shimazu in [[1871]], following the [[Meiji Restoration]], when the [[Meiji government|new national government]] took over [[Kagoshima castle]]. Most of the compound was renovated in [[1884]], and about a third of the residence's buildings survive today.