Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden is a restorative green oasis, set amid the tallest skyscrapers in Tokyo. Beautiful bridges, choice flowers in every season, and lush greenery make this classic Japanese garden a hidden gem.
Despite being surrounded by imposing modern life…
…you forget you’re in the middle of a sprawling city while strolling the gently undulating paths around the pond
Beginning in February, the plum garden bursts into bloom with rare varieties. Some have both pink and white flowers on the same tree
Peonies are next, and a hillside of blooms as big as your head sprout umbrellas to protect them from the warm spring sun
A venerable arbor of wisteria blooms as spring turns to summer…
…and lunching beneath the meter-long blooms is a welcome respite from the city outside the walls
June brings shocks of Japanese iris…
…and banks of deep blue hydrangeas
But even with no flowers at all, the greenery is a feast for the eyes and a balm to the spirit
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 