An Amazing Garden in the Middle of the City: Kiyosumi Garden Wow! Kiyosumi Garden is indeed an amazing gem, a tranquil "green lung" in the heart of the bustling city, and you are describing a particularly magical visit. Here is a text that reflects your visiting experience: An Amazing Garden in the Middle of the City: A Japanese Serenity Experience at Kiyosumi Garden In the midst of the big city's hustle and bustle lies a hidden, breathtaking natural gem—Kiyosumi Garden. This is not just a patch of grass, but a traditional Japanese "strolling garden," offering a true escape and a visual and cultural journey all in one. Immediately upon entering, the silence takes over. The center of the garden is the large pond, which is the highlight and the focus of life. I stood on the bank and admired the meticulously maintained view: the trees, especially the ancient black pines, were carefully and artistically pruned, setting a perfect green frame for the landscape reflected in the water. The pond itself is a whole world teeming with life. Schools of colorful Koi fish, shining in brilliant orange, red, and white, swam beneath the surface like a living painting. The turtles, basking in the sun on the stones or floating logs, gave a sense of a natural and peaceful habitat. And the ducks—what a joy it was to watch them glide calmly, dotting the pond's surface and adding a gentle, pleasant sound to the overall quiet. What is particularly fascinating about Kiyosumi are the stepping stones ("Iso-watari"), those carefully placed and cut stones that allow you to hop across the water and traverse parts of the pond almost at water level. This is a classic Japanese design element that connects you directly to nature and the scenery. Treading carefully on the stones offers an intimate touring experience, as if you are walking inside the pond, and provides a unique perspective on the vegetation and the traditional buildings (like the reflective teahouse). A stroll through Kiyosumi Garden is a meditative experience. The combination of the flawless care by the Japanese gardeners, who emphasize every branch and stone, and the restrained wildness of nature, creates an exceptional harmony. This is a place to slow down, take a deep breath, and remember that there is beauty and perfection even within the urban chaos. If you are looking for a moment of true Japanese serenity, away from the noise and commotion, Kiyosumi Garden is the perfect place to visit. It is an experience of tranquility that refills the soul with...
Read moreWe visited Kyosumi Shirakawa garden. Trust me, this is a hidden gem in Koto-ku. We went there on a weekday, and it wasn’t much busier than I expected. The garden is located a short walk from Kyosumi Shirakawa station. Open hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are just 150 yen per adult, and it’s really worth it. The ticket counter staff was very friendly and kind to foreigners. This garden gives us a real, traditional Japanese feeling. There is a beautiful pond with stepping stones. This pond is filled with koi fish and cute little turtles. There is a tea house too. If you take a look around, you can see the Tokyo Tower. While walking, the wind gives us a nice greenery smell, and I feel so relaxed. When you go inside, you can see Sakura's spot. This is the best place for a picnic. Recommend for group picnics too. There are some benches, too. This is the end of April, and Sakura is gone already. But you can see the beautiful Japanese iris flowers there. Outside of the park, you can see wisteria flowers too. What a pleasant view! Wisteria is known as fuji in Japanese. I spent a few hours there, and my mind was totally relaxed. I want to go there again to feel that...
Read moreVery nice garden but slightly out of the way. If you find yourself in the neighborhood for whatever reason, stop in and wander. The garden was once the private dwelling for the founder if Mitsubishi Group. It was later opened to employees to show overseas business partners Japanese culture. There is a noodle shop inside, the soba is nice but very plain. It’s exceptionally cheap however! If you are in the area, also pop into the nearby Edo Museum. In fact it’s worth going to the museum first, as the ticket gives you a discount to the garden.
I didn’t go for the full 5 stars here mostly because it’s quite out of the way, and there are some more impressive gardens around, such as the garden of Nezu Museum. That place always blows my mind... but this is a culturally significant venue and well...
Read more