Five gardens to get to know the wabi-sabi of Japan

Last updated: 22 May 2017

To Japanese people, there is a peculiar sense of aesthetics called "Wabi-sabi" where it is key to find the beauty in silence and the passing of time. We will introduce you to a number of gardens which will help you to understand the concept.

Look up establishments by Gardens

1 - The Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden

The Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden is a precious Japanese garden made in the Edo period (1600/1603 - 1868) around 340 years ago. You can see the influence of abroad in for instance "The bank of West Lake" modeled after the West Lake in China. From above, it looks like a miniature garden placed in between the buildings. The sight of the flowers in full bloom from season to season is also beautiful.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden

旧芝離宮恩賜庭園
- Address 1, Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0022
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- Nearest Station Hamamatsucho Station （JR Keihin-Tohoku Line / JR Yamanote Line）
  1 minute on foot
- Phone Number 03-3434-4029
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2 - The Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Garden

Josiah Conder is a British architecture who made many western architectural style buildings in Japan. The former Iwasaki Family House is also a building designed by him. The garden inside the premises is a unique garden with a mixture of Japanese and western styles.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens

旧岩崎邸庭園
- Address 1, Ikenohata, Taitou-ku, Tokyo, 110-0008
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- Nearest Station Yushima Station （Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line）
  3 minutes on foot
- Phone Number 03-3823-8340
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3 - Kiyosumi Garden

It's a metropolitan garden designated as a Tokyo Metropolitan Place of Scenic Beauty. There are several water-worn boulders collected from all over Japan that were placed in the garden by Yataro Iwasaki (1835 - 1885) during the Meiji period (1968-1912) . The dry waterfalls, which represent flowing waterfalls and the flowing of water, in addition to the picturesque pine trees are both must-sees.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Kiyosumi Gardens

清澄庭園
- Address 2, Kiyosumi, Koutou-ku, Tokyo, 135-0024
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- Nearest Station Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station （Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line / Toei Oedo Line）
  3 minutes on foot
- Phone Number 03-3641-5892
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4 - The Hamarikyu Gardens

The Hamarikyu Gardens are known as the Japanese gardens that were once loved by the Tokugawa Shogun (de facto military ruler) family. It is known that the Shogun enjoyed falconry here. The seawater pond inside the garden is a rare pond because it changes its appearance around the flow of tide drawn in from Tokyo Bay.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Hamarikyu Gardens

浜離宮恩賜庭園
- Address Hamarikyuteien, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0046
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- Nearest Station Tsukijishijo Station （Toei Oedo Line）
  5 minutes on foot
- Phone Number 03-3541-0200
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5 - The Koishikawa Korakuen Garden

Koishikawa Korakuen garden is a garden with strong influences from China. The stroll garden with a central pond in its center is modeled after famous places in China and Japan. the scenery is cleverly modeled after the picturesque lakes, mountains, rivers and country sides of various places,
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

小石川後楽園
- Address 1, Kouraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0004
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- Nearest Station Iidabashi Station （JR Chuo Main Line / Tokyo Metro Tozai Line / Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line / Tokyo Metro Namboku Line / Toei Oedo Line）
  8 minutes on foot
- Phone Number 03-3811-3015
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Look up establishments by Gardens

Area
Shinbashi Ueno Ningyocho / Monzen-Nakacho / Kasai
Category
Gardens
Must-See

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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