Hama-rikyū Gardens

Hama-rikyū Gardens is a beautiful public garden in Chūō ward, Tokyo, Japan. It is located near where the Sumida River meets the sea, and it opened for people to visit on April 1, 1946. The garden covers a large area of 250,216 square meters and has many special places, such as Shioiri-no-ike, a tidal pond.

In the middle of Shioiri-no-ike is a small teahouse that you can reach by two bridges. Visitors can enjoy drinking matcha and eating Japanese sweets there, just like in a traditional tea-ceremony. The garden also has a place for peony flowers, a grove of plum trees, and fields filled with flowers that bloom in every season.

During the New Year, special activities such as Japanese falconry and aikido shows take place in the garden. The whole garden is surrounded by a moat filled with water from Tokyo Bay. It was created from a place that once belonged to the powerful Tokugawa family many years ago.

History

In 1654, Tokugawa Tsunashige, the son of a leader called the Shōgun, was allowed to take land from Edo Bay to build a home and garden. Later leaders of the time used this place as a special home away from their main palace. It was a quiet spot where they could enjoy activities like falconry.

The big house at Hama was destroyed by fire in 1724 and was never built again. In 1729, an elephant that a leader received as a gift from Vietnam lived there for twelve years. During a busy time called the Bakumatsu period, the place was used for training by the navy.

After big changes in Japan called the Meiji Restoration, the garden became a place for important visitors. In 1879, an important prince from Germany stayed there, and later that same year, a former leader of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, also visited.

Sadly, the gardens were damaged by fires during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and again in 1945 during the Tokyo air raid. In 1946, the garden was opened to the public. Today, it is a special historic and beautiful place.

Access

You can visit Hama-rikyū Gardens through two main gates or by taking the Tokyo Cruise Ship (water bus) from Asakusa, which takes about 35 minutes to arrive.

Main Exit

• Tsukijishijō Station (Toei Ōedo Line) – 7 minutes walk
• Shiodome Station (Toei Ōedo Line) – 7 minutes walk
• Shiodome Station (Yurikamome Line) – 7 minutes walk
• Shimbashi Station (Toei Asakusa Line) – 12 minutes walk

Middle Exit

• Shiodome Station (Toei Ōedo Line) – 5 minutes walk
• Hamamatsuchō Station (Yamanote Line) – 15 minutes walk

Water Bus

• Tokyo Cruise Ship (Water Bus) stops inside the garden.

The water bus ticket lets you enter the garden without an extra fee.