Kiyosumi Garden
Encyclopedia
is a traditional Japanese stroll garden
located in Fukagawa
, Tokyo
. It was constructed along classic principles in 1878-85, during the Meiji Period
, by the shipping financier and industrialist Iwasaki Yatarō. 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, which almost completely fills the garden, 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.
business magnate, Kinokuniya Bunzaemon
.
In the Kyōhō period
(1716-1736), it became the location of the Edo residence of the feudal lord Kuze Yamatonokami, of Sekiyamo
, who built his mansion here in 1721 and this is the period when the basic form of the garden came into existence.
In the Meiji Era, Iwasaki Yataro, the founder of Mitsubishi
, acquired the land. In 1878, he ordered the garden rebuilt to use it for the enjoyment of his employees and entertainment of important guests. Hills and waterless waterfalls were constructed and 55 huge rock
s from all over Japan were brought in. In 1880 the garden was opened. In later years, the waters of the Sumidagawa were brought into the grounds to enlarge the pond
.
The garden provided refuge for many citizens from the fires that followed the great earthquake of 1923
. In 1932, Mitsubishi group contributed this garden to Tokyo City and after some repair works it was opened to the public in 1932.
On March 31, 1979 this garden was designated as Tokyo Metropolitan Place of Scenic Beauty
.
— 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
, tortoise
s and waterfowl
s. 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, brought to Tokyo on their steamships and placed around the garden. Including the flagstone
s and iso-watari stones, the total number of stones used is immense and the garden can indeed be perceived as a stone garden.
Famous haiku
poem of Matsuo Bashō
can be seen carved on the monument stone.
The park is located approximately 3 minutes' walk from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station
, on the Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line
and the Toei Ōedo Line
. It is open from 09:00 until 17:00, the entrance fee is 150 yens for adults.
Japanese garden
, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles....
located in Fukagawa
Fukagawa (Tokyo)
is a region in Kōtō ward of Tokyo metropolis, Japan. It is one of the representative shitamachi of Tokyo. Formerly, it was a ward of the historical Tokyo City. Its postal code is 135-0033....
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. It was constructed along classic principles in 1878-85, during the Meiji Period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, by the shipping financier and industrialist Iwasaki Yatarō. 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, which almost completely fills the garden, allowing a pathway of many picturesque
Picturesque
Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year 1770, a practical book which instructed England's...
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.
History
According to one theory, this garden was the part of the residence of the famous Edo PeriodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
business magnate, Kinokuniya Bunzaemon
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon was a Japanese merchant of the Edo period, specializing in citrus, lumber, and salmon, among other goods. He enjoyed the favoritism and protection of shogunal advisor Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu and shogunal minister of finances Ogura Shigehide, and made a sizeable fortune as a result...
.
In the Kyōhō period
Kyoho
was a after Shōtoku and before Gembun. This period spanned the years from July 1716 through April 1736. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1716-1736), it became the location of the Edo residence of the feudal lord Kuze Yamatonokami, of Sekiyamo
Sekiyado Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shimōsa Province , Japan. It was centered on Sekiyado Castle in what is now the city of Noda, Chiba....
, who built his mansion here in 1721 and this is the period when the basic form of the garden came into existence.
In the Meiji Era, Iwasaki Yataro, the founder of Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, acquired the land. In 1878, he ordered the garden rebuilt to use it for the enjoyment of his employees and entertainment of important guests. Hills and waterless waterfalls were constructed and 55 huge rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
s from all over Japan were brought in. In 1880 the garden was opened. In later years, the waters of the Sumidagawa were brought into the grounds to enlarge the pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
.
The garden provided refuge for many citizens from the fires that followed the great earthquake of 1923
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
. In 1932, Mitsubishi group contributed this garden to Tokyo City and after some repair works it was opened to the public in 1932.
On March 31, 1979 this garden was designated as Tokyo Metropolitan Place of Scenic Beauty
Monuments of Japan
is a collective term used by the Japanese government's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties to denote Cultural Properties of JapanIn this article, capitals indicate an official designation as opposed to a simple definition, e.g "Cultural Properties" as opposed to "cultural properties"...
.
Features
The pond has three islands, one of which is connected with a bridge. There are iso-watariStep-stone bridge
A Step-stone bridge is a simple bridging allowing a pedestrian to cross a natural watercourse or pond, or a garden's water feature where water is allowed to course between stone steps. Unlike other bridges it has no spans. Step-stone bridges, along with log bridges are likely to be the oldest...
— 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
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
s and waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
s. 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
Pinus thunbergii
Pinus thunbergii is a pine native to coastal areas of Japan and South Korea.- Description :Japanese Black Pine can reach the height of 40 m, but rarely achieves this size outside its natural range...
) are the dominant trees. Purple azaleas, Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea macrophylla is a species of Hydrangea native to Japan. Common names include Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea, Lacecap Hydrangea, Mophead Hydrangea, Penny Mac and Hortensia...
, Iris ensata and Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata) provide seasonal color.
The Iwasaki
Iwasaki
Iwasaki is a Japanese surname.-People:*Akira Iwasaki - Japanese film critic and producer.*Chihiro Iwasaki - Japanese illustrator.*Fukuzo Iwasaki - Japanese real estate magnate and chairman of Iwasaki Sangyo Group....
family collected fine and beautiful stones from all over Japan, brought to Tokyo on their steamships and placed around the garden. Including the flagstone
Flagstone
Flagstone, is a generic flat stone, usually used for paving slabs or walkways, patios, fences and roofing. It may be used for memorials, headstones, facades and other constructions. The name derives from Middle English flagge meaning turf, perhaps from Old Norse flaga meaning slab.Flagstone is a...
s and iso-watari stones, the total number of stones used is immense and the garden can indeed be perceived as a stone garden.
Famous haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
poem of Matsuo Bashō
Matsuo Basho
, born , then , was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime, Bashō was recognized for his works in the collaborative haikai no renga form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as a master of brief and clear haiku...
- "an ancient pond / a frog jumps in / the splash of water"
can be seen carved on the monument stone.
The park is located approximately 3 minutes' walk from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station
Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station
is a station on the Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line and the Toei Ōedo Line in Koto, Tokyo, Japan.Some trains on both lines terminate and originate at this station.- History :*December 12, 2000 - Ōedo Line station opens*March 19, 2003 - Hanzōmon Line station opens...
, on the Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line
Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line
The is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro located in Tokyo, Japan.-Overview:The 16.8 km line serves the wards of Shibuya, Minato, Chiyoda, Chūō, Kōtō and Sumida. Hanzōmon Line trains run through onto the Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line from Shibuya Station and the Tōbu Isesaki Line from...
and the Toei Ōedo Line
Toei Oedo Line
The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation . It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12...
. It is open from 09:00 until 17:00, the entrance fee is 150 yens for adults.