The is a complex of

conference center A convention center (American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typica ...

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

and memorial in

Awaji, Hyōgo 270px, Awaji City Hall is a city located on Awaji Island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 42,597 and a population density of 230 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography The city of Awaji ...

, built near the epicenter of the 1995 Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake. It was designed by Tadao Ando, who had begun planning for the project (as a park) prior to the earthquake. The hotel is operated as the

Westin Westin Hotels & Resorts is an American upscale hotel chain owned by Marriott International. , the Westin Brand has 226 properties with 82,608 rooms in multiple countries in addition to 58 hotels with 15,741 rooms in the pipeline. History Wester ...

Etymology

literally means "Dream Stage", from and . Metaphorically "a place in which to dream", the name refers to the aim of restoring the ecology of the island, whose soil had been partly removed for land reclamation in

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

Hyakudanen

One of the most distinctive features in the complex is the , a group of 100

flower bed Raised-bed gardening is a form of gardening in which the soil is raised above ground level and usually enclosed in some way. Raised bed structures can be made of wood, rock, concrete or other materials, and can be of any size or shape. The soil is ...

s (small square gardens) on an incline, arranged in grids spread over several levels. The "hundred" refers to the number of mini-gardens and not the steps, as there are 1575 steps and 235 flights.

References

External links

Official site

The 100 step garden (''Hyakudan-en'')
photos & background
The Westin Awaji Island Resort & Conference Center
official site of the hotel {{coord, 34.562628, 135.010185, type:landmark, display=title Hotels in Japan Tadao Ando buildings Parks and gardens in Hyōgo Prefecture Monuments and memorials in Japan Buildings and structures in Hyōgo Prefecture Tourist attractions in Hyōgo Prefecture Awaji, Hyōgo

Etymology

Hyakudanen

See also

References

External links