This article is based on a visit made on Sunday, 13 November 2016.
Previously on Sekai Ichi, I embarked upon my latest holiday in Japan with two goals in mind: witnessing autumn leaf colours by daylight, and winter illuminations by moonlight. Upon the first morning of the trip, I attempted to fulfill the former goal at the Koishikawa Koraku (小石川後楽園,
Koishikawa Kōraku-en) garden.
Koishikawa Koraku-en is a garden park situated directly west of
the Tokyo Dome area. Construction on the park was started in 1629 by
Tokugawa Yorifusa (徳川 頼房, 1603-1661), the first lord of the Mito clan, and completed decades later by his successor,
Tokugawa Mitsukuni (徳川 光圀, 1628-1701). The name "koraku" means "enjoying afterwards", referring to a Chinese teaching that a ruler should only pursue happiness for himself after securing happiness for his people. The name was also borrowed by the Koraku-en garden in Okayama (formerly known as Ko-en) in 1871.
This is the intersection in front of the entrance, situated at the southwest corner of the park. This shot offered me a beautiful gradient of leaf colours, from green on the bottom to red on the top, so my hunt for autumn foliage got off to a good start!
Much of the park is arranged around a lake, with an island in its centre. In fact, the design of this garden was inspired by the
West Lake in Hangzhou, China, southwest of Shanghai.
The cultural connections to China don't stop there. This bridge, the Engetsu-kyo (円月橋, lit. 'full moon bridge'), is said to have been designed by
Zhu Zhiyu (朱之瑜,
Zhū Zhīyú, 1600-1682), a.k.a. Shu Shunsui in Japanese, a 17th-century Confucian scholar who lived and studied in both China and Japan.
A grove of pine trees, each with some sort of bamboo sheaths wrapping around their trunks. I've seen this in other Japanese parks, too, and I wonder why that is...?
At the northern edge of the lake, there is a small waterfall called Shiraito-no-taki (白糸の滝)... normally. At the time of my visit, there was a bit of renovation going on around the area. The pedestrian route was diverted onto a short bridge bypassing the path seen in the front of this picture. And even if we would have been able to walk along the normal path, I don't think the waterfall was actually running when I saw it.
The lake provides for beautifully symmetrical reflections of both the trees within the park and the buildings beyond, including the
Bunkyo Civic Centre, seen in the picture at the top of this article.
Other ponds aren't quite clear enough to make for good reflections. Still, I'd bet those lotus pads would bloom into something beautiful in the right season! And either way, the landscaping is top-notch.
A few trees about the place had turned a radiant golden colour. Still, these colours are at their peak from late November to early December, so I kind of jumped the gun a little bit. Alternatively, during the spring season, the park features sakura cherry trees in bloom from late March to early April. Other floral highlights include plum trees and iris flowers in the northeast, and ginkgo trees in the southeast.
Did I mention that all this natural beauty is situated right next to the largest stadium in Tokyo? This juxtaposition is common among parks in Tokyo,
such as the Meiji Shrine park I visited last time.
Tropical palm trees in a place like this...? I don't know why, but they're there!
Upon entry, visitors receive a guide map in their preferred language. The back of the map includes a blank space that they can stamp, at a station close to the front of the park.
Hours: Open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time. Closed from 29 December to 1 January.
Costs: ¥300. If you present an active subway pass, entry is discounted to ¥240. More information is available at
(English) or
(Japanese). Entry is free on Green Day (4 May) and Tokyo Citizen's Day (1 October).
Address: 1-6-6 Kōraku, Bunkyō-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒112-0004
Access: The main entrance of Koishikawa Koraku-en is approximately 8 minutes on foot from Iidabashi (JR Chuo
(JC), Chuo-Sobu
(JB), Tokyo Metro Yurakucho
(Y), Namboku
(N), Tozai
(T), and Toei Oedo
(E) lines), Korakuen (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi
(M) and Namboku lines), and Suidobashi (JR Chuo, Chuo-Sobu, and Toei Mita
(I)) stations.
From Tokyo Station, take the Marunouchi subway line to Korakuen (M22, 8 minutes, ¥170). Alternatively, take the Chuo (Rapid) line to Ochanomizu (JC03, 4 minutes), transfer to a local train, and get off again at Iidabashi (JB18, 4 minutes, total ¥160). From Shinjuku Station, take either the Chuo-Sobu line (JB18, 11 min, ¥160) or Oedo subway line (E06, 10 min, ¥220) to Iidabashi.
Directions: The closest starting point, by far, is Iidabashi station on the Oedo line, from which it takes as little as 3 minutes on foot. Simply turn right from exit C3, left at the next intersection, and continue to the park entrance on the right side.
From all other Iidabashi stations (JR: Iidabashi exit, Tokyo Metro: exit A1), walk east along route 405, under the highway overpass, then turn left at the next traffic light, and continue to the park entrance on the right side.
From Korakuen station (exit 1), head south towards Tokyo Dome. Turn right at the traffic light just before the stadium, left at the next light, and continue to the park entrance on the left side.
From Suidobashi station (JR: West exit, Toei: exit A2), walk west along Route 405, turn left at the third traffic light, and continue to the park entrance on the right side
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
