Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the best Japanese gardens (feudal lord’s garden), which is the predecessor of the garden of the Mito Tokugawa family created in the early Edo period.
It is designated as a Special Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty by the national government.
In 1629, Yorifusa Tokugawa, the first lord of the Mito Tokugawa family, ordered the gardener Sahei Tokudaiji to build the garden.
The garden was renovated by Mitsukuni Tokugawa, the second lord of the Mito domain, based on the opinions of Shunsui Zhu, a Confucian scholar from the Ming Dynasty who came to Japan, and was named “Korakuen” after the Chinese teaching by Shunsui Zhu: “Be anxious for the sorrow of the world before it is enjoyed and enjoy it after it is enjoyed.
The garden is a circular fountain garden with a pond at its center. The garden is skillfully designed to resemble scenic lakes, mountains, rivers, and rice paddies in various regions, such as West Lake and Lushan Mountain, which Chinese writers were fond of singing about.
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(Admission until 4:30 p.m.)
Year-end and New Year’s holidays (December 29 through January 1 of the following year)
General admission: 300 yen
65 years old and over: 150 yen
Free for elementary school students and younger
East gate
5 min. walk from West Exit of Suidobashi Station (JB17) on JR Sobu Line
8 minutes walk from East Exit of “Iidabashi” (JB16) on JR Sobu Line
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line / Namboku Line “Korakuen” (M22 / N11) 6 min. walk from Exit 2
Toei Mita Line “Suidobashi” (I11) 8 min. walk from Exit A2
West Gate (Hantoku-tei)
Toei Oedo Line “Iidabashi” (E06) 3 min. walk from Exit C3
JR Sobu Line “Iidabashi” (JB16) 8 min. walk from East Exit
8 minutes walk from West Exit of Suidobashi Station (JB17) on JR Sobu Line
Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, Yurakucho Line, Namboku Line “Iidabashi” (T06 / Y13 / N10) 8 min. walk from A1 / A3 Exit
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line / Namboku Line “Korakuen” (M22 / N11) 8 min. walk from Exit 1 or 2