If you’re looking for the most Japanese garden of all time, that garden would be Rikugi-en. It not only has gorgeous views around every turn, it’s huge. Especially good times to visit are March for the weeping cherry tree, April for the azalea mountain, and November for the leaves.
Rikugi-en is the most classic “Japanese garden” in Tokyo. This gorgeous example of a daimyō’s stroll garden was originally planted in 1695, and it features a huge central pond…
surrounded by 88 real-life views from famous waka poems…
including numerous picturesque bridges…
admiring their reflections…
and connecting one beautiful scene to another.
As you can see, Rikugi-en is designed to look different—but stunning—in every season!
If you’re lucky enough to get snow in
January
make a beeline for Rikugi-en, because through this gate…
are the most achingly poetic scenes you could ever wish for!
During cherry blossom season in
March
This ancient weeping cherry tree attracts big crowds…
especially at night, when Rikugi-en is lit up at night for everyone to enjoy after they get off work.
April
is when azaleas bring pops of color to the manicured landscape…
and if you climb the “Mt. Fuji” of azaleas behind the bridge…
you’ll be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of the whole garden.
But my personal favorite time to see this garden is in
November
because the leaves in this garden turn all the colors of the rainbow in the fall.
This garden is so famous for its brilliant autumn leaves…
that special evening hours are added, and the trees are lit up with spotlights so you can appreciate the colors, even after sundown.
During leaf season and cherry blossom season, they often have special food stands set up in the park, selling traditional foods like skewers of roasted mochi (sticky rice cakes) dipped in soy or miso sauce, and tonjiro (a hearty soup made with bacon and vegetables).
Added bonus: Partway around the lake is a teahouse, where for ¥500 we can get a bowl of mattcha (intense traditional tea ceremony tea) and a pretty bean-paste sweet.
Rikugi-en Garden
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
Open: Every day
Admission: ¥300
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 