Kiyosumi Garden - Tokyo, Japan - Japanese Gardens on Waymarking.com

Kiyosumi Garden was constructed along classic principles in 1878-85, during the Meiji Period, by the shipping financier and industrialist Iwasaki Yataro. By subtle hints in path construction and placement the visitor is led on a walk around the lake. Water-worn boulders were brought in from all over Japan, to give the garden its character; hills and dry waterfalls were constructed with them and two sequences of them form stepping-stones (isowatari) across small inlets of the lake allowing a pathway of many picturesque episodes around its perimeter. In fact only a narrow band of perimeter planting screens the garden from the structures along Kiyosumi Dori. There are three big islands and a teahouse on the pond. The garden covers an area of about 81,000 square metres

The pond has three islands, one of which is connected with a bridge. There are iso-watari — this term refers to the stepping stone pathways that lead across shallow parts of the pond. When crossing the pond using iso-watari, one can view the fish in the pond. It teems with carp, turtles, and waterfowls. Its location near the river and the bay attracts a large number of birds. There are over 4000 trees in this constricted space. Japanese Black pine (Pinus thunbergii) are the dominant trees. Purple azaleas, Hydrangea macrophylla, Iris ensata and Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata) provide seasonal color.

The Iwasaki family collected fine and beautiful stones from all over Japan, that were brought to Tokyo on their steamships and placed around the garden. Including the flagstones and iso-watari stones, the total number of stones used is immense and the garden can indeed be perceived as a stone garden.

The park is located approximately 3 minutes walk from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station, on the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line and the Toei Oedo Line. It is open from 09:00 until 17:00, the entrance fee is 150 yen for adults.

See our 12 photos.

Source: (visit link)

Name: Kiyosumi Garden Location (specific park it is located within): Kiyosumi garden City: Tokyo Fees: yes Designer: Yataro Date of Creation: 1878 Garden Website: http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/format/about033.html Parking Coordinates: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/08/2014 dc57 visited it