In the shadow of Tokyo Dome is one of Tokyo’s oldest and most beautiful gardens, Koishikawa Kōrakuen (小石川後楽園). Originally belonging to a daimyō (feudal lord), it’s plain to see just how much thought and effort has been put in to recreating some of the most beautiful scenes from Japan and China in this miniature realm.
The Edo Garden
First established as a garden for Lord Tokugawa Yorifusa’s spare Edo residence, Koishikawa Kōrakuen was completed in 1629 and is the oldest among Edo’s daimyō (feudal lord) gardens. The word Kōrakuen was derived from a Chinese phrase meaning something like "worry first, enjoy later" – though that’s not the only Chinese influence present in the garden. The different scenes and landscapes you’ll see around the garden can be attributed to a Min dynasty scholar Zhu Zhiyu, who had been involved in garden’s design by invitation of the daimyō.
Timeless Scenery
Much of the garden's scenery is based on other beautiful locations in Japan and China. The arched red bridge surrounded by maple is modeled after Tsūten-kyō at Kyoto’s Tōkufuji-ji temple, while the finest example of Chinese influence in the garden is the curved Engetsu-kyō bridge, shaped so that its reflection against the stream below resembles a full moon.
On your journey through the garden you'll pass through secluded wooded areas, trickling streams, rolling lawns, craggy rocks and colorful blooms. When you need a little break, have a seat on the benches overlooking the pond, designed to evoke Lake Biwa, a famous lake northeast of Kyoto.
