The Tokyo Traveler » Park http://www.thetokyotraveler.com About Tokyo for travelers, visitors, and residents. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:30:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Hibiya Park http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/08/hibiya-park/ http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/08/hibiya-park/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:00:57 +0000 http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/hibiya-park/ Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> Sitting on land that was once home to the mansions of feudal lords (daimyo) in the Edo Era and used as a military training ground in the following era you will find Hibiya Park. The garden was first opened in June, 1903 and was the first western style urban garden in Tokyo.

Hibiya Park

Ponder the central grass square and it’s surrounding blooms from the patio of the park office, a German-style bungalow built in 1910 and one of the few remaining examples of western-style architecture from the Meiji Era in Tokyo, where you will find a restaurant and snack shop.  Then take a leisurely 1.2 kilometer stroll past monuments, seasonal flowers, ponds and fountains. As with many of Tokyo’s parks you will find yourself lost in the beauty of of your surroundings and hardly aware that you are in the center of a busy city. Hibiya Park Fountain Highlights in the park include Shinji-ike pond which sits alongside a stone wall that was once part of the outer defenses of the Edo Castle, some clay figures that are remains from ancient burial grounds in Miyazaki Prefecture and a crane fountain that graces the center of Kumogata-ike pond. The fountain is a beautiful sight anytime of the year but particularly popular in winter when icicles hang from the spread wings of the crane.Hibiya Park Clay Figures Hibiya Park is located a short walk from either Hibiya or Kasumigaseki Stations and sits on the outer edge of the Imperial Palace Plaza.

Image Credit: Personal Collection

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]]> http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/08/hibiya-park/feed/ 1 Japanese Garden – Mihama-en http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/04/japanese-garden-mihama-en/ http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/04/japanese-garden-mihama-en/#comments Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:00:14 +0000 http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/japanese-garden-mihama-en/ Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> When you want to escape the city you can always head for Chiba and the Mihama-en garden. This beautiful park is an oasis in the midst of various hotels about a 10 minute walk from the Kaihin-Makuhari train station on the Keiyo Line.

Small Bridge

The name of the park means “to view from the beach” and is a testament to it’s location near the Pacific Ocean. It is a landscape garden in the Japanese walk-around style with a central pond and a tea house named Shouraitei which translates to “the pine trees whisper”. The beauty of this type of garden is in its design which leads the visitor along a path to a series of changing scenic views from a forested mountain to a koi filled pond to a calming beach and then back to a serene tea house.

To get there take the Keiyo Line from Tokyo Station to Kaihin-Makuhari (about 30 minutes)and walk 10 minutes to the gardens entrance. An English language brochure can be picked up at the tourist information desk at the Kaihin-Makuhari station or is provided at the entrance to the garden. Entry is very reasonable at Y100 or about US$1.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

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