Hamarikyu Gardens, with an area of 250,215.72 square meters, is the largest metropolitan garden in the city, located right in the middle of urban high-rise building districts such as Shiodome and Shimbashi. It is a popular photo spot for many international visitors because of the contrast of skyscrapers and gardens.
Hamarikyu - Visited by a U.S. civil war hero
In the Edo period, it was maintained by the Edo clan of Lord Kofu, but after the sixth shogun ascended the throne, it became the villa of the family positioned to ascend to the shogunate. After the Meiji period, it was used to entertain foreign visitors, and it was around this time, The General Commander of the Civil War Union Army, General Grant, Visited Hamarikyu Gardens, who later became the eighteenth President of the United States
Enjoy the Tidal Pond's changing scenery
View the tidal pond that can take in sea water from Tokyo Bay and enjoy scenery that changes with the flow of the tides.
This is the daimyo garden of the representative Edo period,used as a duck hunting ground long ago, now known as a garden that pulls in the seawater is here. In the Edo period, people enjoyed watching Japanese poetry while watching the water’s surface, floating a boat in the pond, enjoying meals and music, and the changing of the tides.
Cherry Blossoms Spring Color and a 300 Years Old Tree
In the park , surrounding the pond there are over 100 large cherry trees of different types, the best time to see them is in the spring when they are lit up, enhancing the colors.
Also, there are many old trees in the park, and immediately after entering from the main gate entrance, you can view what is said to be the “300 Year Pine,” planted during the great rebuilding of this garden by the sixth generation Shogun 's house (Ienobu).
You can walk the entire garden in about 60 to 90 minutes, but if you get tired, cross the "Otsutai-bashi" footbridge and take a break at the free rest area "Nakajima no Ocha-ya" in the middle of the pond.
"Nakajima's Ocha-ya" allows you to get a set of matcha and Japanese sweets at ¥720 while navigating the views of the seasons.
Let's Have a Tea Ceremony at Hama Rikyu Imperial Garden
At Hamarikyu Garden Garden Houbaitei, you can experience a tea ceremony for a fee, and taste authentic matcha and Japanese sweets. For foreigners, an explanation session in English is also included, so if you are interested, you may want to participate in the session.
About the garden guide
The garden is roughly divided into "South Garden" with a pond and two Kamogawa as the center and "North Garden" made after the Meiji Era. In the vicinity of the entrance, the map and the terminal "ubiquitous · communicator" can be rented for free, and when you select language or course, GPS can respond and you can listen to commentary on voice guidance and also in the garden guide with fixed date and time Information is also available free of charge.
Garden Guide in Japanese:
Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays 11:00 and 14:00 ※ Not offered during the month of August.
Garden Guide in English:
Saturday morning 11 :00 or Monday at 10:30 ※ Not offered during the month of August.
Besides this, there is also a tea house guide tour, several tea houses in the garden and some guidance from the exterior.
Thursday: 10:00/ 11:00/ 13:00 / 14:00 pm (About 40 minutes each, first-come, first-served basis, junior high school student and up) ※ Canceled during rainy weather. Not offered during the month of August.
- Entrance fee
- General admission: 300 yen
- Elementary school students and junior high school students living and staying in Tokyo may enter free of charge
- 65 years and up: 150 yen
- 【Groups of 20 or more】
- General admission: 240 yen
- 65 years and up: 120 yen【問い合わせ先】
- Hamarikyu Garden Service Center
- Telephone：03-3541-0200
- Access from Haneda Airport to Hamarikyu Line (Access from Haneda Airport is also relatively easy. There are 2 routes below.)
- Take the Tokyo Monorail bound for Hamamatsucho and get off at Hamamatsucho, the final stop, and walk for about 15 minutes.
- Price: 490 yen
- Duration: 29 minutes
- Take the express airport line bound for Shinagawa, the Toei Asakusa Line Chokutsuu, get off at Shimbashi Station and arrive in about 12 minutes on foot.
- Price: 530 yen
- Tine required ：42 minutes
Access from Haneda Airport to Hamarikyu Line
Access from Haneda Airport is also relatively easy. There are 2 routes below.
■ Take the Tokyo Monorail bound for Hamamatsucho and get off at Hamamatsucho, the final stop, and walk for about 15 minutes.
- Price: 490 yen
- Duration: 29 minutes
■ Take the express airport line bound for Shinagawa, the Toei Asakusa Line Chokutsuu, get off at Shimbashi Station and arrive in about 12 minutes on foot.
- Price: 530 yen
- Tine required ：42 分
Transportation Method Unique to Water front: Water Bus
On the northeast side of the Hamarikyu Garden, there is a water bus stop where two companies operating, including Asakusa and Odaiba. Since Asakusa operates almost every day, if you are going to sightsee around Asakusa, you can also use the water bus as a part of Tokyo tourism from the waterside. Rates are as follows.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Tourist Steamship (Muji): Adult ¥ 740, Child 370 yen
- Tokyo Waterside Line (★ mark): Adult 620 yen, elementary school student 310 yen (Kawasemi A: adult 1130 yen)
The fare will be a bit higher, but you can enjoy cruising. Also, from Hamarikyu, the Shiodome subway station is close, and access is not inconvenient. Because it is close to the Tsukiji market, it is convenient for sightseeing.
Spot information
- Spot name: Hamarikyū Imperial Garden
- Street address:1-1 Chuo-ku Hamarikyu Garden 1-1
- Open hours: 9:00 - 17:00 (last entry is at 16:30)【Closed day December 29 - January 1】
- Access:
Otemon entrance on the north side of the garden
- Toei Oedo Line, Tsukiji Market Station - 7 minutes on foot,
- Toei Oedo Line · Yurikamome, Shiodome Station - 7 minutes on foot
- JR · Tokyo Metro Ginza Line · Toei Asakusa Line, Shimbashi Station -12 minutes on foot
Inner entrance in the garden northwest side
- From inside the Oedo Line · Yurikamome, Shiodome station Get off at No. 10 exit - 5 minutes on foot or 15 minutes on foot from JR Hamamatsucho Station
Comments