Hamarikyu Gardens

Hamarikyu Gardens is a Japanese garden in Chūō that spreads over roughly 25 hectares between high-rise buildings and Tokyo Bay. Broad paths circle several ponds while pine trees, plum trees and flower beds line the edges and small bridges cross quiet waterways.

The site began in 1654 as a hunting reserve for the Tokugawa family and served as a private retreat for shoguns for over two centuries. After the 1868 restoration the garden passed to the imperial family before the city opened it to the public in 1946.

The name comes from the Meiji imperial family, who used the space for rest after it passed from military hands. Today the park serves as a quiet retreat where office workers walk during lunch breaks and families gather on weekends near the large pond.

The entrance sits near subway stations and paths are flat and wide enough for wheelchairs or strollers. Mornings offer quieter ponds and afternoons draw more visitors along main routes while teahouses provide seating on request.

The large pond fills with saltwater from the bay and the water level shifts with the tides while fish move between garden and sea. This system is the only one of its kind preserved from the Edo period.

Location: Hamarikyū-Teien

Location: Chūō-ku

Inception: 1660s

Founders: Tokugawa Tsunashige

Official opening: April 1, 1946

Fee: Yes

Charge: 300 ¥

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 09:00-17:00

Website: https://tokyo-park.or.jp/teien/es/hama-rikyu

GPS coordinates: 35.66000,139.76200

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:59