Koishikawa Korakuen Garden

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden was built in the early 17th century and is one of Tokyo's oldest and most important traditional gardens. Designed by the Mito Tokugawa family, this garden is a great example of the Japanese concept of "borrowed scenery" where the surrounding landscape is incorporated into the garden to make it more beautiful.

The garden has all the classic Japanese garden elements; ponds, streams, hills, stones, and plants arranged in a very deliberate way to represent famous scenes from Chinese and Japanese landscapes. It’s a stroll garden where you follow a winding path and see a series of composed views that evoke different natural landscapes.

Seasonal changes play a crucial role in the garden's appeal, with cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, vibrant autumn leaves, and the serene beauty of snow in winter, each offering a different experience of the garden's beauty.

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is not just a place to relax and enjoy nature, it’s a cultural heritage site that gives you a glimpse into the history and philosophy of Japanese garden design, so it’s a great resource to learn about Japan’s gardening tradition.