Rikugi-en

On Saturday, July 11, I awoke early and headed off to visit the last destination of my Japanese garden adventure. 

Rikugi-en, a landscape garden located in the heart of Tokyo, was built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun. The garden design replicates 88 scenes from famous Japanese poems, hence the name “six poems garden.” 

The garden is an excellent example of an Edo period stroll garden. It features a large central pond, manmade hills, and a forested area, all connected by a network of trails.

The Fukiage Chaya tea house was a nice spot where I could over look the pond and enjoy my last bowl of green tea. Meanwhile the Takimino Chaya tea house and the Togetsukyo Bridge offered some spectacular views of the garden pond, a small stream, and waterfall.

Rikugi-en was indeed a wonderful and peaceful place for me to conclude my exploration of Japanese gardens.

Kyu-Furukawa

The Kyu-Furukawa Gardens are located in the Kita Ward of northern Tokyo. The property is famous for its Western-style home and extensive rose garden. However, there is also an extensive  traditional Japanese stone garden as part of the property.  

The home was the residence of Mutsu Munemitsu (1844-1897) a prominent statesman and diplomat of the Meiji government. The residential building was designed by British architect Josiah Condor. 

The Japanese garden is considered an excellent example of a Taisho era garden and has a pond in the shape of the Chinese character for “heart.” I was surprised to discover that the Japanese portion of the garden was so extensive. It was a nice retreat from the urban sprawl of Tokyo that surrounds the entire garden area.