Rikugi-en Gardens

The Rikugien Garden is a magnificent garden located in Tokyo, namely one of its districts called Bunke. It dates back to the Edo period, which falls in 1702. The foundation of the garden is waka poetry, as indicated by the name itself - Rikugien: Rikugi - 6 types of waka poetry, and en – garden. The entire area that belongs to the garden totals 87809.41 ^m2.

Back in 1695, this large territory was presented as a gift to Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu from the ruler Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, as a sign of trust in his adviser. Yoshiyasu was a fan of waka's poetry, and it inspired him to create a delightful garden on a donated piece of land. He incorporated the works of "Manyoshu" and "Kokinshu", which are highlighted in this place by special inscriptions on stone pillars, of which there were originally 88 pieces. To date, there are only 32 of them.

Yoshiyasu devoted himself entirely to the improvement of the Rikugien Garden and did not trust anyone with the management. For 8 years, work was carried out here, which was completed only by 1702.

In the very center of the Rikugien garden there is a small lake with islands. The walk along the path that leads past the reservoir is quite intense. Here you can admire both the beautiful nature and the wildlife that fills the pond. Fish swim carelessly in it, turtles crawl. With every step taken, the natural landscape changes, making the walk unforgettable.

There is also a 35-meter-high hill in the Rikugien Garden. You can climb it and admire the beautiful view of the entire garden. Its peak has a name that sounds like Fujimi-yama, which means "Peak overlooking Mount Fuji." There are also other named hills (Imo-yama, Se-yama), which are presented by Izanagi and Izanami, who are divine husband and wife.

Tea houses, which are so important for Japanese culture, are located among the trees, hiding from the rays of the sun. While enjoying a cup of fragrant tea, you can pleasantly dream one-on-one with nature.

There are benches in the middle of the garden, hidden under overgrown ivy. The place here is entirely in the hands of nature. This beautiful vegetation, water landscapes filled with carp and turtles, as well as the incessant singing of countless birds, all complement each other.

There are more than one thousand trees growing in the Rikugien Garden, and even more shrubs. It is impossible not to notice the numerous apple trees, plums, as well as pines, beautiful magnolias and traditional sakura trees. The garden is simply fragrant with the blooming of azaleas and camellias. This area rightfully has the status of a national landmark.

The Rikugien Garden was owned by the founder of the world-famous Mitsubishi company, but has been owned by the city authorities since 1938.