A Samurai Garden Amid Tokyo’s Skyline

Kyū-Shibarikyū is one of Tokyo’s oldest surviving pond-strolling gardens (回遊式泉水庭園), created in the Edo period on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in 1658. Originally the residence of Ōkubo Tadatomo, a daimyō and official of the Tokugawa shogunate, the garden follows a layout typical of samurai-style architecture (武家造, Buke-zukuri).

After the fall of the Tokugawa regime, the garden changed ownership several times before becoming part of the Imperial Household as the Shiba Detached Imperial Villa.

Unlike the more secluded gardens in northern Tokyo, such as Rikugien and Koishikawa Kōrakuen, Kyū-Shibarikyū feels open and expansive, with the high-rise buildings of modern Tokyo forming a dramatic backdrop. The garden’s compact scale makes it easy to take in from a vantage point, yet its winding paths reveal constantly shifting perspectives. It is a beautifully maintained Edo-period landscape—Jenny’s favorite garden in Tokyo.

Read more in our eBook!

eBook cover Kyu-Shibarikyu Garden by Real Japanese Gardens

Kyū-Shibarikyū Garden Guide

This eBook offers insights into the design, history, and contrasts of Kyū-Shibarikyū Garden in Tokyo.
Perfect for garden lovers, history buffs, and anyone curious about samurai-era landscapes in modern Japan.
Learn more before you visit—or revisit from home.

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  • Introduction
  • The Pond
  • Rocks in the Garden
  • Fences in the Garden
  • Paths in the Garden
  • Plants in the Garden
  • The Garden in Winter

13 pages packed with detailed information about this Daimyo garden
63 great pictures of the garden, its rocks, ponds and plants

PDF 14MB
The eBook is delivered as PDF.

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  • Japanese Garden Kyu Shiba Rikyu by Real Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Garden Kyu Shiba Rikyu by Real Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Garden Kyu Shiba Rikyu by Real Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Garden Kyu Shiba Rikyu by Real Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Garden Kyu Shiba Rikyu by Real Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Garden Kyu Shiba Rikyu by Real Japanese Gardens

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    Directions

    How to get to the garden

    The garden is conveniently located next to the Hamamatsu-chō station(浜松町) of the Yamanote line. Just walk 1 minute to the west and you will get to the entrance gates.
    The subway station Daimon (大門) is 3 minutes away. Use the Oedo line and Asakusa line to get here..

    View Google Map (Google Website)

    Address

    • EN: 1-4-1 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
    • JP: 東京都港区海岸 1-4-1

    Opening times

    • 9:00 – 17:00 (last entry at 4:30pm)

    Closed around New Year between December 29th and January 3st.

    Admission fee

    • Adults: 150 yen
    • Free for Elementary School Students and younger
    • Free for Junior High School Students who live in Tokyo

    Facilities & Accessibility

    • Multipurpose Toilets
    • Kyudo Training Place
    • The garden is partly accessible with wheelchair

    Best time to visit

    • In Winter when the waterfowl is resting in the garden.
    • In Mid-April when the wisteria bloom.
    • In May when the azaleas bloom.

    Map

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