Serene beauty of Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden in Tokyo, Japan: lush landscape with tranquil pond.
Explore the tranquil beauty of Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden in Tokyo, Japan.

The Gardens of Koishikawa Korakuen

Koishikawa Korakuen is a garden of the Edo period and therefore, it is one of Tokyo’s oldest garden.

In these times of intense heat, you cannot refuse a stroll to a Japanese garden. And even if the greenery of Tokyo is far from having enough strength to refresh us it is, at least, very relaxing to the eyes. Let’s go to the Gardens of Koishikawa Korakuen!

Koishikawa Korakuen Entrance

Hasuike: Lotuses

Koishikawa Korakuen is a garden of the Edo period and therefore, it is one of Tokyo’s oldest garden. It was named Korakuen after a poem encouraging the ruler to take care of the happiness of his people. That is why it is not a coincidence if it is right next to Tokyo Dome, a kind of general entertainment and amusement park with a roller-coaster, a big wheel, a stadium, etc. Well, it is better to go there with earphones to cover your ears :p

Korakuen Hasuike

Hasuike Lotus Field

Lotus Field

This is the Full Moon bridge – Engetsukyo – which reminds the old bridges that we can find in China.

Engetsukyo Bridge

Koishikawa Korakuen Path

Tokyo’s Ricefields

The garden contains small rice fields which are very unusual in Tokyo. They were added to the garden by Tokugawa Mistukuni – a Japanese governor of Edo period – to show to his son’s wife the difficulty of the farmers’ life. Nowadays, primary school children maintain the rice fields. The rice is planted in May and harvested in September.

Engetsukyo Swamp

Japanese Garden Park

Korakuen Rice Fields

Through the Korakuen Ricefields

Kuhachiya

This small house, located in a corner of the garden, represents an old sake house of the Edo period. Its name comes from the saying of time which says that the sake is better if the cup is 90% full in the afternoon and 80% full in the evening.

Kuhachiya

Tokyo Ricefields

Koishikawa Korakuen Pond

The Inner Garden

Formerly called Uchi No Oniwa, the inner garden contained a small bookshop in its center. Now it is gone but the garden kept its original set-up. This place is not the most popular of the park and I did not see many pictures about it. Nevertheless, it is my crush of the day and without this one there would probably not be any article! Let’s appreciate the beauty of this enchanted place.

Seiko No Tsutsumi

Koishikawa Korakuen Zen

Korakuen Oigawa

Oigawa Rocks

Zen Rocks Korakuen

Tsutenkyo Bridge

Togetsukyo Bridge

Koishikawa Korakuen Magic Pond

Koishikawa Korakuen Oigawa

Do you have any favorite gardens in Tokyo? Don’t hesitate to share a few photos in comments 🙂

Translated by Domi Ushi.

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Jordy Meow
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I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

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