Former Yasuda garden – Japanese garden near the Edo-Tokyo Museum & Ryogoku Kokugikan
The Former Yasuda garden is a Daimyo garden in Sumida Ward, Tokyo.
It is behind the Edo-Tokyo museum, but it is not crowded, and it is a recommended place to relax that is quiet and laid back.
Admission is always free.
Now, I will show you around this garden with photos.
The history of the Former Yasuda garden
“Yasuda” is Yasuda Zaibatsu, Japanese rich family.
A person who built this garden was Daimyo Honda of the Edo period.
In the Meiji Era founder of Yasuda Zaibatsu, Mr. Zenjirou Yasuda became the owner of this garden.
After his death, his bereaved families donated it to Tokyo.
Current owner is Sumida Ward which is one of the districts of Tokyo.
Entrance of the Former Yasuda garden
As you go through the natural Japanese taste garden course you can see the pond.
Pond in the garden
The protagonist of this garden is a pond.
Originally, it drew water from the Sumida river and represented the tides of the ocean.
In the Edo period, it was popular to take in seawater directly from the ocean into garden ponds.
The people were able to enjoy the changing water levels of the pond in the garden thanks to the ebb and flow of the ocean.
The current garden ponds change the water level with an underground reservoir tank to achieve the same effect.
The trace of the gate of the Edo period remains.
You can get close to the pond freely.
Like many Japanese ponds, carps are swimming.
Not only carps but also something black is swimming in the pond …
Watch closely, there was a large amount!
Turtles!
When you stand on the other side of the pond, the Tokyo sky tree looks clearly.
There is a Yukimi lantern at the edge of the pond.
Long ago, people would have enjoyed the change of the tide level with these cobblestone appearances.
As you climb up a small place on the west side of the pond …
There is just a little shrine.
During the Edo era, when the Sumida River flooded, Samurai Abe crossed the river with a horse and investigated the damage situation around here.
People honored his courage and made this shrine for him.
This is a traditional Japanese style bridge.
The Former Yasuda garden is a typical Japanese garden, not a place to enjoy flowers, but the seasonal flowers are in bloom in some places.
Hydrangea is beautifully colored at the beginning of July.
The Former Yasuda Garden in Snow
Winter in 2018, Tokyo is record cold.
It’s snow again today.
Waterfowls come to the pond in winter.
Arc drawing bridge in the snow.
Because of one cold wave after another, freezing days continue in Japan now.
But I found swelling plum buds.
It’s immediately before the season of cherry blossoms when plums bloom.
Enjoy Japan.
The Former Yasuda garden is a quiet and restful place where no one imagines that a highway is passing nearby.
The Edo-Tokyo Museum is quite tiring when seeing all the exhibits.
It is good to use rest areas and cafes in the museum, but it is also very nice to take a rest while looking at the pond in the Japanese garden behind the museum.
Please enjoy Japan.
Access to the Former Yasuda garden
From JR Ryogoku Station
Leave the West Exit and turn right.
Go past the Ryogoku Kokugikan and go a little. Then you see the east entrance of the Former Yasuda garden on the right side of the way.
From the Ooedo Subway Line Ryogoku Station or the Edo-Tokyo Museum
I recommend you to exit the A3 exit of the subway station.
There is a green road on the left side of the exit.
As you cross the green road towards the backside of the museum, the road will branch like this, so you can go to the road on the right tile pavement.
↑turn right
When you turn left at the end of the tiled road,
↑turn left
you can find a gate of the Former Yasuda Garden.
Information on the Former Yasuda garden
MAP 12-1, Yokoami1chome, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours 9:00 am – 16:30 pm
Holidays December 29 – January 1
Entrance fee is free.
-
- You cannot bring a dog.
-
- You cannot ride a bicycle.
-
- It is not permitted to enter the lawn.
-
- There is no car park.