A Walk around Rikugien Gardens (Part 1) / 六儀園の散歩 （パート１）

At the hanami in Yoyogi Park, one of my friends send the best place for cherry blossom viewing in his opinion was at the Rikugien Gardens in Komagome.  As I have never been there, I thought I would check it out after my appointment at the Kanto Chuo Hospital (which also has a nice park like area with the cherry blossoms in full bloom as you may have noticed in my previous post.

代々木公園の花見の時、一人の友達が東京で一番好きな桜の木の場所が駒込にある六儀園と言ってたんので、自分も行った事ないので、関東中央病院の外来の後に行ってみることにした。ちょうど病院の前の桜も満開で奇麗でした。以前のネタでお話ました。

As this is cherry blossom season, there was a long line to get in at this garden as well.  It wasn't quite as crowded as the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and like Gyoen, once you're inside, the place is so spacious that you do not feel crowded at all.  The entrance fee to this garden is 300yen.

桜満開の季節なので、こちらの庭園の入り口も結構混雑してました。新宿御苑ほどではありませんが、似た様な感じでした。入園料は大人一人￥３００。広々した空間で込んでる感じがまったくしません。

I imagine you cannot read the English provided on the sign so I will copy it down here: 

Rikugien was established in 1702 by feudal lord Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who was well known for his literary accomplishments.

The name Rikugien was taken from the six principles of composing Japanese waka poetry which were derived from an ancient Chinese book, "Mao-Chin".

It is typical "kai-yu" (go-round) style garden with 88 spots of literary significance arranged along a path surrounding a pond with an islet.

Cherry blossoms in bloom, but I am going to check out the large weeping cherry tree.  The path I am walking on is called the senrijyo (site of horse path).

桜が咲いてます、でも今日の目的は園内にあるしだれ桜。現在歩いてる道は“千里場”‐ 馬場として作られました。

Other flowers in bloom / 桜以外の花も咲いてました

Nice little bamboo grove / 奇麗な竹林

Gate leading to today's main event / この門の先にあのしだれ桜があります

This is what I came to see, the large weeping cherry tree in bloom.

今日の目当てはこのしだれ桜。

There are other cherry blossoms in the park but this is the main one.

園内に他の桜の木がありますが、やっぱりこのしだれ桜が主役ですね。



And now it's time to walk around the rest of the gardens.

しだれ桜が魅了的でした。さて、庭園の散歩がここから始まります。

The stone monument was built for the donation of the Rikugien Gardens from the Iwasaki family to Tokyo city government in 1938. 

The Naitei-Daimon (Inner Garden Gate) / 内庭大門

Japanese lantern / 燈籠

Gate to the Shinsen-tei and Gishun-tei (a small assembley hall and a traditional tea house).

新泉亭 （集会場）と宜春亭 （茶室）の入り口の門。

Shinsen-tei / 心泉亭

Gishun-tei / 宜春亭


There is still a lot more to see.  To be continued...

見所はまだいっぱいあります。つづく。。。