Colored Leaves in Happoen, Tokyo

Now the season for colored leaves! In Tokyo, they started to change colors, too. Today I visited Happoen, which is very close to our photo studio and a great place to visit in Autumn. 

紅葉の季節ですね！東京の木々も色づいてきました。今日は私たちのスタジオから近い紅葉スポット、八芳園に行ってきました。

This place used to be a Samurai's residence. Later, with the beautiful garden, this place was named as "Happoen" in 1950, and now this is one of the most famous wedding locations and Japanese style restaurants. "Happo" of Happoen means that this place is perfectly beautiful from "all direction" (we says "Shihouhappo" in Japanese).  

ここはもともとあるお侍さんのお屋敷だったところです。その日本庭園を生かして1950年に八芳園と命名され、今は東京でとても有名な結婚式場、料亭となっています。八芳園の名は「四方八方どこから見ても美しい場所」という意味なんですよ。

Happoen is actually a wedding location, however, visitor also can walk in the garden. This Japanese style garden is very beautiful, and the best part of it is that you can see all colored leaves, Bonsai trees, a pond and Koi carps, tea ceremony house and a small shrine at once.

結婚式場ではありますが、一般の人も庭園に入る事が出来ます。この庭園がとてもきれいで紅葉、盆栽、池と鯉、茶室、神社、一度に全部ぎゅっとなっててお得です。

One of the Bonsai tree is over 500 years alive! Many people took care of this tree for a long time, full of histories.

盆栽は樹齢500年を超えるものが！たくさんの人の手で守られてきたのですね。

The Koi carps in this pond are huge and varicolored and gold, there are many.

ここの池の鯉、すごい大きいんです。錦鯉に金の鯉もいて見応えたっぷり。

In this garden, there is a small tea house and you can actually taste Matcha (powered) green tea here. (The price was 860 JPY when I went there). If you make a reservation in advance, you can experience very formal tea ceremony as well.

庭園の中には茶室もあって抹茶を頂く事ができますよ。事前に予約をすれば正式なお手前も頂けるそうです。

So, if you go out for colored leaves in Autumn, let's go in Kimono! From our studio to Happoen is one station away by Metro, or 3 minutes by taxi (730 JPY when I went there).

素敵な日本庭園にはぜひ着物を着て行きましょう！

当スタジオから八芳園まではタクシー３分、または地下鉄で1駅です。

Our Kimono Rental Plan is from JPY5,900+tax~ (ALL inclusive)
For the customers who rented kimono here, we have special offer for studio plans. ( From Nov 24th to Dec 3rd, 2016 )
Please ask for more details!

- Kimono Photo Studio WA -
目黒駅から徒歩1分
Meguro Station, JR Yamanote Line - 1 minute walking distance
TEL：070-6455-9831
mail：info@kimono-wa.com

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Green Oasis in Busy Ginza & Tokyo area, Hibiya Park

Hibiya Park is located next to the Imperial Palace, and it is 20 minutes walking distance from Tokyo station. The park is close to Ginza shopping area, too.  The park is very famous and shown on TV often (dramas and weather news).  

The park used to be the estate of feudal lords and became the military parade ground after. Later, the park was designed with the influence of Western culture, and Hibiya park opened in 1903.  This is Japan's first western-style modern park.  

The park has various kinds of flowers and trees, for example, cherry blossoms in spring, colored leaves in fall, ginkgo, Japanese apricot, camphor, pine, tulip, rose, etc.

You can see the Imperial hotel back of the park.

The park area is 161,636m2, and has Hibiya Public Hall (large music hall), small music hall, parade ground, Hibiya Library Books and Culture Hall, Museum of Park, tennis courts, children’s playground, food and drink stands, ponds and fountains, a flower shop, and a restaurant.

Hibiya Kadan is one of the most famous flower shops in Japan.

Hibiya Kokaido, music hall.

The restaurant, Matsumotoro is also opened in 1903. The restaurant has been famous and is on the literary works of famous novelists.

The park is loved by various kinds of people as a relaxation place.  You will see senior people exercise radio gymnastics in the morning, children's and mothers playing in the afternoon, and also a office worker doing chinning exercises on an iron bar at lunch time. 

Hibiya Park

Address: 1-6, Hibiya Koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Open 24 hours, 365 days. No admission. 
2 minutes walk from Hibiya Station on Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
8 minutes walk from Yurakucho Station on JR Yamanote Line
10 minutes walk from Ginza area

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Sakura - Cherry Blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen Park

Spring has come to Japan! In this year, Sakura - cherry blossoms started to bloom earlier than average. 

 

Shinjuku Gyoen Park was designed as an imperial retreat and completed in 1906.  Now it is a huge park for everyone and one of the best places to see cherry blossoms. The park is about 3.5 km in circumference.

In this weekend, lots of people came to this park to enjoy cherry blossoms... Japanese are crazy for them, LOVE Sakura. The building back side is Docomo Tower, the mobile phone company's building. Looks like the Empire State Building?

There are French Formal Garden, English Landscape garden, Japanese Traditional Garden, Greenhouse and Mother and Child's Forest in this park. This is Taiwan Pavilion, by the way...very international. 

The park has about 65 kinds and 1,300 cherry trees.  Lots of trees are blooming now, but you can still see cherry blossoms in the next month. 

Weeping cherry trees are still budding.

Later in Sakura season, the roads turn to pink carpets.

The park has 3 gates to enter, and is accessible from some stations. The easiest way to go to Shinjuku Gyoen is probably from JR Sendagaya Station, walking straight for 5 minutes.  Please be reminded that pets, play equipments, and any alcohols cannot be brought to this park, which some Japanese hate it especially in this cherry blossom season. Also, the park close at 16:00. Yes, this is very wholesome park.

Opening Hours: 9:00 - 16:00

Closing days: Mondays, and Dec 29 to Jan3 (Mar25 to Apr 24 and Nov 1 to 15 are open)

Admission: Adult JPY200

http://www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen/english/index.html

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Oasis in Tokyo metro, Nezu Museum

The Nezu Museum is located in the Minami Aoyama district of Tokyo, 10 minutes walk from Omotesando station.  This museum is not only just a museum, but also has a fabulous Japanese garden and a neat cafe. 

The museum was first opened in 1941, thanks to a bequest from Kaichiro Nezu I.   He loved antiques and collected various art works of Japanese and East Asian arts, and the museum now has more than 7,000 items.  Kaichiro is famous as the King of Railways because he was involved in many railway building projects.  He was such an industrialist, also was the president of Asahi and Sapporo Beer Company and Nissin, which is now famous for Cup Noodle.  

The museum has 6 galleries and exhibits its collections partially by turns. When I visit there, I could enjoy tea cups, Japanese dolls, and ancient Chinese bronzes about 12 century, B.C.!

This museum has a Japanese garden with some Asian taste, and this is definitely my favorite garden in Tokyo. 
There is a pond,
 

Tea houses,

Garden lanterns, statues of Buddha,

Guardians deity of children, felt like I was in a fairy tale.

After walking in the garden, let's have some snack in Nezu Cafe.  This is a meat pie with salad, JPY650.  Sitting back and relaxing, look plum trees are blooming outside.

Hours: 10 am to 5 pm (entrance closes at 4:30 pm).Closed on Mondays, during exhibition installations, and during the New Year's holidays.

When a National Holiday falls on a Monday, the museum is open on that Monday and is closed on the following Tuesday.

General admission to museum collection:  Adult: 1000 yen

General admission to a special exhibition: Adult: 1200 yen

Nezu Museum
6-5-1, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062
http://www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en/index.html


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Rikugien with Colored Leaves

Walking 7 minutes from Komagome station on JR Yamanote line in Tokyo, one of the famous Japanese gardens, Rikugien is there.  It is autumn and the best time to see the colored leaves, lots of Japanese people go this garden to enjoy the scenery. 
Rikugien was established in 1702 by feudal lord Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who served as an attendant to the 5th Shogun in Edo period, Tsunayoshi Tokugawa. It took about 7 years to construct this garden, which has hills, steams, islands, ponds and tea houses.

There are some cafes to have tea break.  At Fukiage tea room, you can have Maccha tea with a sweet, JPY500.  Relax and enjoy the garden view outside.

In 1878, this garden became a second residence of Mitsubishi's founder, Yataro Iwasaki, and he maintained the garden in good condition.  Later, his family donated it to the city of Tokyo in 1938.  Now the garden is designated as a special site of exceptional beauty and an important cultural asset. 

The colored leaves reflected on the water are beautiful!

You must enjoy the overview from the tallest hill, Fujishiro Toge, the highlight of this garden.   

Rikugien
http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/en/rikugien/index.html

Hours:  Open from 9:00 to 17:00 (Entry until 16:30)

Closed: End year holidays, Dec 29 to Jan 1

Admission:  JPY300 per adult

It takes about 1~2 hours to look around.

About two weeks in colored leave season, the garden is open at night till 21:00 as well, and visitors can enjoy the light up of the leaves.  Also, you can enjoy cherry blossoms in spring, of course.

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Japanese Heavenly Garden, Motsuji Temple

Motsuji Temple was constructed in Heian era (794-1192), and it is said that the temple used to flourish and have 40 halls and 500 monks' dormitories.  Also, this temple has an 850-year-old Jodo garden, which took in outstanding gardening technique and style at that time.

Jodo means the world of Budda.  So this garden was created to represent Pure Land or Heaven.  Please walk around the heavenly garden thinking about the ancient people who made this and wanted to go to heaven after death.

Because the temple suffered from numerous fires that eventually destroyed all for the 12th century buildings, the main hall here was constructed in 1988.  Now the colored leaves are very beautiful in fall, which has not been changed from 12th century for sure.

The main hall's principal image is a statue of Yakushi, Buddha of medicine, stayed with the bodhisattvas of solar and lunar radiance.  

The decoration is also very beautiful!

Basho Matsuo, the most famous poet of the Edo period, also came here and created a haiku (the Japanese poetic form.) in 1690s.  It is translated in English here.  

" The summer grass 'Tis all that's left of ancient warriors' dreams."

This is, "now only summer glasses are seen, but long time ago, the samurais were fought in this battlefield for their success and dreams."  It is impressing that old time poet created poem for older time warriors, isn't it?

Motsuji Temple is located near Hiraizumi Station, 7 minutes on foot.

 

Open Hours:  8:30-17:00 (11/5-4/4: 8:30-16:30)

Admission:  JPY500 for an adult

http://www.motsuji.or.jp/english/index.php 

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Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens is located in the central Tokyo, just next to the Tokyo Dome.  This garden has been designated an important historical asset and site of special historical significance.  This double designation was provided only a few gardens in Japan.

Koishikawa Korakuen was completed by the second clan ruler of the Mito Tokugawa family, Mitsukuni Mito, who has been very famous hero in Japanese TV show for more than 50 years!

Very greeeen.

The Sake pub in Edo period.

The garden view course is about 1.4 km, it takes for 1 hour for walk.

Since Mitsukuni Mito was the great load, his travel in Japan was restricted. He could not travel as he wanted even though he was full of curiosity. So he condensed all Japanese famous locations in this garden.

In this garden, we can see Biwa-lake, Kyoto, and even some scenery in China.

China's Rozan (Lushan).

The garden lantern in the left side was sent by Korean ambassador as a gift.

Koishikawa Korakuen opens from 9:00 to 17:00. (Entry until 16:30) The entrance fee is JPY300. Closed during year end holidays.

http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/english/park/detail_05.html#koishikawa

By the way, if you get hungry after walk, the Kagurazaka town is very close by.  Kagurazaka has good Japanese, French, and Italian restaurants.  We went to the Italian restaurant, "Sakanoue Restaurant" on this day.  

View Koishikawa Korakuen in a larger map

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