Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden, Daimyo garden in Kaigan, Japan
Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden is a daimyo garden in Kaigan, Minato ward, Tokyo, one of four surviving Edo-period clan gardens in the city. Its 43,070 m² grounds centre on the Sensui pond, about 9,000 m², with four islands — Nakajima, Ukishima, Oshima and Yukimi-toro — linked by two bridges. The pond's design draws on Hangzhou's West Lake, and the rocks on the central island stand for its mountains. A circular path passes the Suhama sandy beach, the Oyama hill with its dry Karetaki waterfall, and a wisteria trellis.
The site was reclaimed from Tokyo Bay between 1655 and 1658. In 1678 Ōkubo Tadamoto (1604–1670) received the land and had the Rakujuen garden laid out by gardeners from the Odawara Domain; the pond was then tidal. After passing through the Kishū and Arisugawa families, it became the Shiba Detached Imperial Villa in 1875. The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake destroyed its buildings, and in April 1924 it opened as a public garden.
The garden carries elements from Chinese mythology in its design, including stone arrangements representing Mount Horai, where immortals were believed to dwell according to ancient belief. This symbolic landscape connects natural forms with spiritual meanings that visitors can discover while walking through.
The garden sits just one minute on foot from Hamamatsucho Station and opens its gates daily from 9 to 17 hours. Admission costs 150 yen for adults, while walking the paths takes about half an hour to complete.
The garden preserves the original landscaping techniques from the Edo period while modern skyscrapers and office buildings completely surround it. This juxtaposition shows the contrast between old garden art and today's Tokyo skyline within a small space.
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