TOKYO–As one of the biggest cities in the world, it may come as a surprise that Tokyo is home to a good amount of green spaces. Sprinkled throughout the city are pockets of history and culture in the form of beautifully cultivated, century-old gardens.
Gardens in Tokyo provide a respite for locals and tourists from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If you’re traveling to Tokyo or just looking for a place to unwind, we’ve compiled our list of 10 gardens to visit.
Built at the end of the 17th century, Rikugien is a stately strolling garden designed by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a government official. Yanagisawa, passionate about classical poetry, embedded many nods to Chinese and Japanese texts throughout the grounds. Watch for these as you explore the garden, such as a part of the curved shoreline of the largest pond, which evokes images of cranes and the weeping moon.
While the original landscape also included 88 references to famous Chinese and Japanese geographical landmarks, only 32 still exist today, including Fujishiro Toge, an homage to a Wakayama Prefecture mountain trail.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden’s history stretches back to 1591 when it was first established as part of a feudal lord’s private residence. After the Second World War, the park was opened to the public and granted National Garden status. Characteristic of the influx of European culture and technology at the turn of the 20th century, Shinjuku Gyoen blends French, English and Japanese garden styles.
With cherry blossoms in the spring, lush greenery in the summer, chrysanthemums in the autumn and tropical and subtropical plants to enjoy in the greenhouse during winter, this garden is a delight all year.
Created by a wealthy antique dealer in the Edo period, this garden is the city’s last surviving Edo flower garden, whose name refers to hundreds of flowers blooming in all seasons. True to its name, Mukojima-Hyakkaen is beautiful to visit regardless of the season and is popular for its trellises of hanging flowers and fruits. In September, a 30-meter tunnel of hagi (Japanese clover) is stunning to visit, while August and September have ornamental squashes dangling from a trellis.
Meanwhile, the spring and summer trellises are dedicated to gorgeous akebia, wisteria, camphor and arrowroot. Also, don’t miss the 360 original plum trees blossoming in early spring planted by the founder!.
