Hamarikyu Garden

The paths interweaving the ponds of this traditional Japanese garden have been walked for hundreds of years. Tide-fed ponds, peony gardens and flocks of ducks can be found scattered through the vast park where the shogun's villa once stood and falconry was practiced. It was renamed after the Meiji Restoration when it became a holiday villa for the Japanese Royal Family.

The garden’s main attraction is the ponds as they are being filled by the tide from Tokyo Bay. The rising tide feeds sea water into the ponds, delighting visitors with an ever-changing waterscape . These are the only seawater ponds found in Tokyo and are inhabited by salt-water fish species like bora, goby and eel. The central pond has an island in the middle. The island is connected by a bridge, which you can cross to have a cup of matcha tea in the traditional tea house.

There are many interesting sights including the flower gardens with different blooms for every season and the 300-year-old pine tree which was planted by the 6th Daimyo. Walking the circuit around the garden takes appropriately an hour. Perfect for a leisurely stroll to enjoy the reflections of green trees in the water, all overlooked by the skyscrapers of Shiodome.
Located in the Shiodome area next to the Tsukiji market, access is also possible by waterbus.