Hama-rikyu Gardens-Family Garden of the Tokugawa Shogun

This property dates back to 1654 and was a residence for the Shogun family and later a detached Palace for the Imperial Family. Earthquakes and WW II bombings all but destroyed the buildings and gardens, but in 1945 the garden was given to the city by the Imperial Family and restored and re-opened in 1946. It was designated a heritage site in 1952 and is of high historical significance. There are 2 watercourses built into the garden that attract many different kinds of wild birds. Originally used for duck hunting, the sites have a grave to console the spirits of the dead ducks. Almost at the entrance is a 300 year old Pine tree that was planted to celebrate the renovation of the garden. This tree is shaped and supported by wooden stakes and is constantly tended as are all trees and plants in all of the gardens, we have seen. While we were visiting, the stone rock walls of the waterways were being repaired. Each stone had been removed and numbered for re-installation. The Peony Garden and flower field features 800 plants of which are 60 different types of peonies. Rape flowers, a yellow sea, were in bloom along with the plum blossoms and the beginnings of Sakora, cherry. The seabus lands here as part of its many stops along Tokyo Bay.

The large pond is drawn from the bay's salt water and is the only remaining seawater pond within Tokyo. There are many varieties of saltwater fish in the pond: sea bass, goby, eel and black mullet.

In 1707, a teahouse was built by the Shoguns and Imperial Court Nobles. It was renovated in 1983 and from it you can see not only the gardens, but also their reflection in the water. It has tatami mats and a huge deck so that you can drink your tea inside or out on the open deck. Either way, you take your shoes off and wear slippers for outside and socks on the mats. There are special instructions for how to drink your Ocha, dark green tea and more for how to hold and slice your sweet and when to eat it. You sip the tea first to savor its special flavor.

This was a quiet day to visit a small museum that featured woodblocks and contained an oasis of rocks, sand and seats from which to see all the exhibits at once, and at the end of a long walk through the park, in the sun, to enjoy the ceremony at the tea-room.