Koishikawa Korakuen Garden

Beautiful urban garden. It was a little hard to get to, but just follow the pedestrian traffic and little signs that point you to the entrance in Japanese. The garden is really well maintained. Almost every angle of the garden was breathtaking. Try to find a bench where you can sit and enjoy the scenery. There are a lot of paths to explore and the garden is much bigger than you would think. There are free bathrooms. Entry is 300 JPY per person and worth it.

We went to Tokyo slightly early February, weather still cold. We were searching for a place near us where plum blossom already bloom. We tried to search nearby places and luckily we found this park. It was easy to find & lucky us there were some plum blossom trees blooming. The scenery is really calming & relaxing. When all the plants here really bloom, i believe the view will definitely be amazing to see.

A beautifully landscaped and tranquil garden dating back to the early Edo Period, the garden is about a 5 minutes walk from Tokyo Dome City. Unlike the gardens in Shinjuku (Shinjuku-gyoen) and Ginza (Hama-rikyu Onshi-telen), this garden is not crowded with tourists. When we were there on an early weekend morning, the garden (entry fee of ¥300) was very quiet. The Japanese Iris was in bloom during our visit.

Amazing place. I loved there. It takes at least 2 hours to walk, so I wouldn't recommend coming late. Also, the best light angle for photo shoot is around 1-2 noon.

Visiting the Koishikawa Korakuen Garden in mid April 2024, it was easy to understand why this garden is among the most popular and highly rated in Tokyo. I was very fortunate during a month-long stay in Tokyo to visit at least a dozen Japanese gardens around the city. Of all the gardens in Tokyo that I had the opportunity to see, this was my favorite, for reasons that I will explain here. (This is not to say that it the best garden in Tokyo. I haven’t visited enough of them to be able to make such a claim, which is entirely subjective in any case; but it was my personal favorite in Tokyo so far.) Tokyo is a city that enjoys an embarrassment of riches in extraordinary and special gardens. But the Koishikawa Korakuen garden stands out for its great size, the tremendous variety and quality of landscapes, and waterscapes, as well as the excellent and very tasteful informational panels posted throughout. These bilingual Japanese & English informational panels allow visitors to gain invaluable and fascinating insights into many aspects of the garden. For example, one particularly delightful feature is the beautiful Engetsu-Kyo, or Full Moon Bridge. Without the perfectly translated informational panel adjacent to the bridge, I would not have understood why it is has such an unusual shape. It is very steep, and would be difficult to walk across. In that sense, it would seem its form defeats the function. But looking at it from a distance, straight on from the side (please see my photos) you understand the amazing beauty of its construction. From the right angle, and in the right light, a view of the bridge magically creates an image of the full moon. Moreover, the informational panel goes on to say that this particular bridge is one of the oldest stone arch bridges in all of Japan! Similar delights abound in this garden. Although I have read and enjoyed books about Japanese Gardens, I learned as much or more about them in one afternoon visiting Koishikawa Korakuen as I have in reading entire books on the topic. Another thoroughly charming feature is the tea room. I had the very good fortune to feel tired enough that I wanted to take a break, and so I decided to try the tea room. It was wonderful, and the price was very, reasonable. I was rejuvenated, and was able to spend another full hour, enjoying other sections of the garden, as well as revisiting places that I particularly liked. The Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is indeed a special place, and well worth an hour or two, or even a full afternoon (or more) of your valuable time in Tokyo. It’s a place I plan to see again.

Hidden gem! This small park is a tranquil oasis often missed by tourists. A delightful morning stroll reveals well-maintained plants, breathtaking views, and a serene atmosphere. A must-visit for those seeking a peaceful escape.

Visited on 30 March, sakura is still blooming! A great place if you want to enjoy sakura. Also they sell matcha and vanilla ice cream! Delicious ✨🍦

An oasis in the middle of Tokyo. We went in early spring, but it was still very beautiful. I wish we had more time to explore it.
The entrance fee was 300 yen, and you can buy tickets at the vending machine, even though nobody was checking them at the entrance.

Absolutely Fabulous.Also in Winter. Recommend early start.Garden is big with lovely Tea 🍵 traditional T.house.Even in Winter! Nearby is Dome attractions and shopping Area,to Extend Activity of the day.

Worth a visit because it’s beautiful and not overcrowded. There were many photographers and locals taking in nature.

This is traditional Japanese park located in central Tokyo. The entrance fee cost 300jpy, but I think it is worthwhile to visit. Plum brossoms are lovely probably till later feb.

Beautiful garden. Visited here on a rainy day to try to see the wisterias. Unfortunately they had already bloomed.

Another gem overlooked by most tourists but not by the Japanese. The whole design of the very big garden is lovely and historically interesting. It would have been even better if there would not have been the high-rise modern structures and Tokyo Dome baseball stadium immediately next door.

The garden is looking so beautiful this time of year and is one of my favourite gardens in Tokyo. It's only about 300 yen to enter (you can also buy an annual garden pass that lets you in to a number of different gardens) and there is a cafe/restaurant/teahouse on your left as you enter. You can usually have a set meal or tea with wagashi (sweets) and look out into the garden - if you are by a window. Across from the "cafe" is a small gift shop and they were selling ice cream (Matcha or Vanilla) which I can recommend. There was also a dango (grilled mochi rice cakes) stall towards the back of the garden when I was there on the weekend - it might only be there on busy weekends. The garden is large enough to never feel too crowded and busy and offers such a variety of different viewpoints (as it was designed to do) that you can easily stroll around for an hour or two. Highly recommended.

Went here by mistake (looking for the Koishikawa botanical garden) but very pleased to visit. A particularly complete and well maintained noble's garden based on Chinese landscapes. Very beautiful, lots of shady paths to explore as well as lakeside views. Key stopping points well signed with interesting info. Tea pavilion but for lunch best to bring picnic.

Lovely! Nice walking trails, a cool shrine, beautiful water and trees.

Very nice and tranquil place to go and relax and explore nature. I would definitely recommend going

Relaxing garden with a lot of small paths inside the trees in the sides and a big open space in the middle with a pond.

My second visit to this huge Japanese-style garden in the middle of the heart of Tokyo, which is right behind the Tokyo Dome. This time it was a cherry blossom season and the flowers were beautiful. Please be aware that the cherry trees are only in the main entrance (the one close to the ponds). You can enjoy plum blossom in the spring.

Very nice park that seems tucked away from the city around it. The garden has several areas to enjoy, with each feeling somewhat unique from the others. The paths are not linear, so you can walk around for quite a while seeing new things. Even when trees and flowers aren't in bloom, the park is still beautiful and the structures are still interesting to learn about. There is a small fee to enter, with discounts for elderly and groups.