Hama-rikyu Garden

On the Constitutional Day(May 3rd), I went to Hama-rikyu garden with my friend. Hama-rikyu garden is one of my favorite gardens in Tokyo. Throughout the year, we can enjoy beautiful flowers like rape blossoms, peonies and cherry blossoms.

I know wisterias are beautiful right now so I decided to come here!

They are beautiful! The best timing to see wisterias is difficult to be predicted. They were just before the full bloom on that day.

Azaleas started to bloom. Azaleas season last for a while. There are also a variety of trees in this garden like pine, maple and ginkgo trees.

This is 300-year old pine tree planted by the 6th Tokugawa Shogun. It is one giant pine tree!

The root originates from outside of the garden! Big Bonsai!!
The garden was originally owned by the Tokugawa Family(shogun's family) and had two duck-hunting sites. Later, it became a Detached Palace for the Imperial family. Then in 1945, the Imperial family gave the garden to the City of Tokyo and it became open to the public.

The water of the pond is from Tokyo bay which is located just by the garden.  It is a great example of mixture of a typical Japanese-style garden and modern high rises.

A small pavilion with a green roof on the pond is a tea house. Later we had tasty tea there!

Do you notice something different in the above photo?

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The answer is... the photo is posted upside-down.

You see the reflection on the pond. How perfectly beautiful it is!

It started raining and we went to the tea house. We sat on the red carpet and waited for tea.





Maccha(=powdered green tea) and Japanese sweet shaped like wisteria were served in front of us.

Green tea contains a variety of vitamins and it's good for health.

The shape of the sweet differs depending on the season.  

We enjoyed the Japanese moment!



my friend, Noriko and me





I have known her for 2 years but it was the first time to go out together. 

She is very charming and powerful! We had lots in common.

I enjoyed talking with her. Thank you, Noriko!!

I hope I'll be back to see another beautiful flowers and trees!!