There are two duckhunting grounds here,
Koshindo and Shinsenza. The former was built in 1778, the laterin 1791. The ponds and woods of the hunting grounds are
surrounded by a three-meter embankment densely planted withevergreens and bamboo. That way, ducks could be isolated fromthe outside and rest easily. Numerous narrow trenches are dug
along the pond. Peering from blinds, hunters would use bait suchas grasses and seeds to lure the ducks into the trenches. They
would wait for chance to the scoop up the birds with a net fromthe shadows of the embankment.

Duck hunting grounds ●7Tidal pond with water drawn from Tokyo Bay

Hama-rikyu Gardens
Location ●Hama-Rikyu Teien, Chuo WardContact Information ● Hama-rikyu Gardens Administration Office tel: 03-3541-0200(1-1 Hama-rikyu Teien, Chuo-ku 104-0046)
Transport ●Otemon gate: 7-minute walk from Shiodome (Oedo line, Yurikamome line) or Tsukiji-shijo (Oedo line).		12-minute walk from Shinbashi (JR line, Asakusa line, Ginza line).
Naka-no-gomon gate: 5-minute walk from Shiodome (Oedo line, Yurikamome line). 15-minute walk from Hamamatsu-cho (JR line).		
Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line: (Ryogoku↔Hamarikyu↔Odaiba-kaihin-koern) or Water-bus for Asakusa via Hinode-sanbashi pier.
Closed ●December 29 to January 1
Open ●
9 am to 4:30 pm (gates close at 5 pm)
Admission ●General: 300 yen, Seniors 65 and older: 150 yen		(Primary school and younger children / Jr. high school students living or studying in Tokyo: Free)
Three-hundredyear pineFree days ●Greenery Day (May 4), Tokyo Citizens’ Day (October 1).		
Parking (For tour busses and disabled visitors) Privately operated toll parking lots are also available.

Naka-no-gomon gate

time has changed dramatically with the destruction ofbuildings and trees such as the teahouse and gate in the Great
Kanto Earthquake and bombings of World War II.
The gardens were donated to the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government on November 3, 1945. After development work,
they were opened as fee-based gardens on April 1, 1946. The
gardens were designated a scenic and historic spot under theLaw for the Protection of Cultural Properties in December
19 4 8 . A nd in November 19 52 , t he ar ea including t hesurrounding waters (32.4-hectare area) was designated anational special scenic and historic spot.

The water in the pond is seawater. Locks
are opened and closed according the riseand fall of sea levels on Tok yo B ay,
adjusting the flow of water in and out of the pond. Saltwater fish
such as flathead mullet, Japanese seabass, goby, and eel live inthe pond. Crabs and wharf roaches with barnacles can be foundcrawling on the rocks around the shore. Birds such as white andgrey herons are also seen dancing across the water.

Tidal pond ●OpenedApril 1, 1946
Area
250,215.72 m2
Trees
Tall trees: 6,100		
Shrubs: 28,500 m2		Grass: 38,900 m2
Main plants	Japanese apricot, black pine,cherry (sato-zakura), crape myrtle, persea,
Japanese wax tree, wisteria, acer palmatum,
hydrangea, satsuki azalea, camellia, cosmos,
rape blossoms, Japanese iris, peony
Facilities
Gathering halls (Hobai-tei, island tea house)

Pines covered in snow and the island teahouse (winter scenery)

125

This burial mound was built on
November 5, 1935 to appease thespirits of ducks that were hunted in the gardens.

Duck mound ●Otsutaibashi bridge & island teahouse ●Otsutaibashi bridge connects the shore of the tidal pond with anisland in the middle. The island holds a teahouse; and thereflection of the bridge and teahouse on the water are
spectacular. Once having a view of the far-off Boso peninsula, it
was used to get away from the heat of summer nights, and towatch the moon. The present-day teahouse was reconstructed in
1983, and one can enjoy green tea and sweets here (charges
apply for food and beverages).

Three-hundred-year pine

Gardens guide
Volunteers will guide you on
the history and highlights of thegardens. Tours are held at 11 am
and 2 pm Satudays, Sundays
and holidays. (No charge)

Three-hundred-year pine ●This pine tree was planted by the sixth
shogun, Ienobu, to commemorate the majorrenovation of the gardens. The thick branches
spread out low, creating an imposing view.

Three-hundredyear pine

Peony garden andflower field ●About 500 plants of 20 varieties of peony areplanted in the peony garden. Colorful flowers
compete for visitors’ attention in the spring.
The flower field is abloom with flowersaccording to the season. Rape blossoms arefeatured in spring, with orange cosmos andcosmos blooming in autumn.

Naka-no-gomon gate

This typical Edo era feudal lord’s garden features a tidal pond
and two duck hunting grounds. Functioning as an outer fort for
Edo castle, the gardens even today retain a castle wall
structure. As the pond is a tidal pond, its features change withthe tide. This was often incorporated in ocean-side gardens.
Kyu Shiba-rikyu Gardens, Kiyosumi Gardens, and Kyu
Yasuda Gardens all had tidal ponds in the past. But Hama-rikyu
Gardens are the only ones to still use seawater. The gardens
are separated into two mains sections: the south gardens
centering on the feudal lord’s garden and the simple northgardens built after the Meiji era on the remains of a mansion.
This once reed-covered area was a hawking ground for theshogun’s family until the Kanei period of 1624 to 1644. The first
person to build a mansion here was fourth shogun Ietsuna’s
younger brother Tsunashige Matsudaira, chancellor of Kofu.
Tsunashige received the land as a gift from the shogun in 1654.
He then reclaimed land from the sea to build a villa known as
the Kofuhama mansion. With Tsunashige’s son Tsunatoyo (laterIenobu) became the sixth shogun, the mansion became theproperty of the shogun’s family. The name was changed thento Hama palace.
Over the years, various shoguns built gardens and madeimprovements. The current form of the gardens was completed
in about the time of the 11th shogun, Ienari.
After the Meiji Restoration, the gardens became a detachedpalace for the imperial family, with the name being changed toHama-rikyu (Hama detached palace) then. The scenery of that

Otsutaibashi bridge & island teahouse on the tidal pond

Full bloom in mid April126