Hama-rikyu Gardens Walking Tour with Matcha& Japanese Sweets
Description
Hama-rikyu Gardens is a historic Edo-period landscape garden in Tokyo. On this 2-hour walking tour, explore the garden’s design and seasonal scenery with a guide, then enjoy a matcha green tea and Japanese sweets break in the garden’s tea room. Within the garden, the highlights are the Kaiyushiki garden (circular garden) and the seawater tidal pond. Visitors can also enjoy the plants and trees, whose beauty changes with the seasons. The tour guide will explain in detail about the history of the garden and the background of the garden's design, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Japanese garden culture. In addition, there is a tea ceremony room in the garden where you will experience matcha green tea and Japanese sweets! Please enjoy Japanese garden culture while admiring the garden scenery and taking pictures! *Matcha green tea and Japanese sweets are included in the tour fee. *We recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes for this walking tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Hamarikyu Gardens are the largest gardens of the Daimyo gardens in Tokyo. Daimyo gardens originated in the Edo period (1603-1868) when samurai established gardens within their vast estates. The garden has a waterway running through it, and the scenery created by the bridges, buildings, and trees is magnificent. Flowers can be enjoyed in each of the four seasons. This is the only place in Tokyo where you can see a pond created by drawing seawater from the sea.
*Optional* This museum features exhibits related to Japanese advertising. Visitors can enjoy and learn about the changes in advertising over time and the differences between Japanese and foreign advertising. Admission is free.
*Optional* A steampunk-style copper karakuri clock by Hayao Miyazaki, the famous animation director of Studio Ghibli. When the time is up, the lights come on and the karakuri clock starts moving with music. The time when it moves is limited. If you are lucky, you may be able to see it in motion.
*Optional* Hibiya Shrine, located in an office district, is a shrine with a history of about 400 years that enshrines the god of agriculture and the god that drives away the impure.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
Lovely tour of the garden with Naoko! She was so kind and helpful during the tour, especially with my 6 year old son, keeping him entertained with origami during the tea service. Would highly recommend!
Thank you for your review. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed Naoko's tour!
We were met as we approached the park, quickly handling the business and getting right into the tour explaining how this was started centuries ago for the shogun and family. Once inside, she kept the history moving by taking us right to the three hundred year old black pine tree that was planted as part of. Nori kept the history going as we jhmoved on past remains of moats and canals where supplies were offloaded, then on to more plantings including an orange tree that was planted when an elephant was there. She lead us to the tidal pond by having it appear when we exited the surrounding forrest. For more wonderful views of the teahouse on an island and the bridges to it, she took us around rather than rushing across a bridge. When we got to the teahouse, we enjoyed a snack as she related how the view use to be to the ocean instead of the sky scrapers. From there we moved on to the lesser maintained parts such as the duck hunting ponds and canals, but we were able to imagine it through her description. The time seemed to fly by as she took us around and back to the exit. Although the garden tour was done, she made sure we made it to the local subway station and sent us on our way happy and having learned quite a bit.
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed Nori's tour!
Yoshi was an amazing guide and very informative throughout our tour. She met us early and even put up with a very rainy afternoon in the gardens! Despite the rain, it was great fun and she was the best! The gardens were beautiful despite the rain and the tea ceremony was a blast!
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed Yoshi's tour!
Very wet day however a lovely walking tour
We truly appreciate your feedback! We are delighted you had a great time on our tour.
We had a wonderful, relaxed guided tour through the gardens. The tea and sweets were lovely. Our guide, Nori was so helpful.
Thank you for your lovely comment! It is a great compliment for Nori! She is glad that you like the tour! Thank you very much! Have a nice day!
The tour guide was excellent. She explained about the culture of Tokyo. She showed us around on time and we were able to enjoy Tokyo. I was not bored one bit.
Thank you for choosing Gotcha! We are happy to receive your warm comments. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with our guide. We look forward to seeing you again!
The contrast between the history of Edo and the buildings was very beautiful. The matcha was fun. Our guide, AKI, was very attentive. I am glad she was our guide.
Thank you for choosing gotcha! We're glad that you like the tour and our guide! She will be very happy to know your nice comment! We're looking forward to serving you again!