The next stop of the Three-Garden Tour on the Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line is Rikugien Gardens. The Somei Mon gate is just near Exit 2 of Komagome station. However, since the Somei Mon gate is usually closed, you have to walk for about 3 to 5 minutes to the main entrance on the opposite side.
Soon after walking under the Nantei Dai-Mon gate into the garden, the Shidare-Sakura, one of the species of the cherry tree, gently embraces you with cherry blossoms on the wide-spread hanging branches when you come here in early spring. Although it was a bit late for a full-blooming Shidare-Sakura, the remaining blooms were still beautiful.
The following photo was taken the other day when the garden was open at night. It shows the beautiful and fantastic Shidare-Sakura lit up in the dark. Please visit my other post about the night view of the Rikugien Gardens.
https://japan-cultural-traditional-experience.com/gorgeous-weeping-cherry-blossom-shidare-sakura-at-night/
The Rikugien Gardens was one of the most famous samurai lord’s gardens, established in 1702 by a samurai lord, Yoshiyasu Yanagisawa, who had a mighty authority power under the support of Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, the 5th Shougun (the samurai general). It was well designed for visitors to walk around the pond in the center of the garden, called the Kaiyu-style Garden, showing visitors different sceneries while walking around the water. There are 88 viewing spots in the garden, and each scene was designed to resemble an ancient Japanese poem, Waka, or the landscape of old Chinese books.
One of my favorite spots in the garden is Fukiage no Matsu, an old pine tree beside the pond. According to a Garden official, it has seemed to survive since the garden was opened in 1702. He said the Fukiage no Matsu could be a witness to what happened in the samurai era, the modernized Tokyo, and during World War 2 in Tokyo. I like two thick branches spreading toward the pond since it seems to cradle the garden and to be a guardian of the garden.
There are also several bowers and tea houses in the garden, where you can rest for a while, breathe fresh air emitted from trees, or enjoy a tea break with Macha and traditional Japanese sweets.
If you are interested in walking in the Rikugien Garden, I will guide you. After that, I will take you to a local Japanese restaurant and shop around Komagome station. There are some unique shops in that area. Please get in touch with me by clicking the link at the bottom of this post.
<Information of the garden>
Location: 6 Chome-16-3 Honkomagome, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0021. Please click the Google map link.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3ETq3YH3s8QG2saR7
The gate is open from 9:00 to 16:30 every day, except for the year-end and New Year holidays. It will be closed at 17:00.
Admission fee: 300 yen for adult
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