Rikugien Gardens
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Highlights
- The Poet’s Garden: This is a living poem. The name “Rikugien” means “Garden of the Six Principles of Poetry,” and its landscape is a masterpiece of design, created to physically represent 88 famous scenes from classical Japanese waka poems.
- The Weeping Cherry Tree: Near the main gate stands a magnificent, towering shidarezakura (weeping cherry tree). In late March, it explodes into a breathtaking cascade of pale pink blossoms, a truly iconic symbol of spring in Tokyo.
- The Lakeside Teahouse: Stroll along the central pond to the Fukiage Chaya teahouse. Here, you can pause your journey, sip traditional matcha tea, and gaze out at a perfect, timeless view of the water and manicured hills.
- A Journey in Miniature: The winding paths guide you over man-made hills, across stone bridges like the Togetsukyo, and through quiet forests. Each step is designed to reveal a new, perfectly composed view, like turning the page of a beautiful book.
Description
A very warm welcome to Rikugien Gardens, a true masterpiece of the Edo period and one of Tokyo’s most beautiful poetic landscapes. You are stepping into a world meticulously crafted by a samurai lord, a man who so loved poetry that he built a garden to walk through its verses.
This is a “strolling garden,” designed for discovery. As you follow the meandering paths, the scenery unfolds before you like a painted scroll. You will climb small hills offering lovely vistas, cross charming bridges over the tranquil central pond, and find moments of perfect peace in hidden teahouses.
In spring, the garden is famed for its majestic weeping cherry tree, which blooms like a pale pink waterfall. In autumn, the maple trees set the landscape ablaze in fiery reds and golds. At any time of year, Rikugien is a serene, elegant escape, inviting you to leave the city behind and walk into a world of pure poetry.
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