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A strolling-style landscape garden where visitors can experience Japanese beauty through the celebrated harmony of renowned stones gathered from throughout Japan and pine trees.
Kiyosumi Gardens is a strolling-style landscape garden centered on a pond, artificial hills, and dry landscape features. In 1878, businessman Yataro Iwasaki purchased the site of a dilapidated former estate and began planning a garden. It was largely completed in 1880 as Fukagawa Shinbokuen. Construction continued after Iwasaki’s death, resulting in a strolling-style landscape garden featuring a large pond fed by water from the Sumida River and renowned stones brought from throughout Japan. The garden was later developed by the City of Tokyo, as it was then known, and opened to the public in 1932. In March 1979, it was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. In 1977, the adjoining land to the west was added as an open park, giving the garden its present form.
The garden has three distinctive iso-watari stepping-stone paths, offering scenery that changes with every step. On days of gentle rain and after rainfall, the many stones throughout the garden glisten beautifully, revealing a different side of the landscape. Since the garden tends to have fewer visitors on rainy days, this view has quietly gained popularity. The park section on the garden’s west side includes a lawn and pergola. Around 20 cherry trees are also planted there, making it a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing in spring.
Garden tours are held twice daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. English-language tours and special tours requested by visitors are also available.
Mt. Fuji, the tallest and largest artificial hill in Kiyosumi Gardens
Panoramic view of the garden
Sensui pond, featuring three islands
Iso-watari stepping stones and the Ryotei pavilion
Autumn at Kiyosumi Gardens, with the fall foliage of wax trees and the Ryotei pavilion (Photo: PIXTA)
Some reviews are AI-translated.
You can see thoughtful design everywhere here. The pond, plants, and buildings are all carefully maintained.
The garden is really well maintained. When I stood on the little bridge, the koi and turtles came right up to me. I felt a bit bad about not feeding them anything.
The entrance fee is pretty cheap—just JPY 150. You can easily spend an afternoon in the garden. The plants and landscaping are really well maintained.
You can enjoy the garden's scenery as you walk along the paths, and even cross a small bridge into the pond area. The beautiful views of the garden are all right there.
Wandering freely in this elegant Japanese garden is such a relaxing experience. If I could enjoy a cup of green tea with some wagashi here, that would be pure happiness.
