Sunday, December 4, 2016

Yokohama: Autumn Views at Sankeien Garden (三渓園)

Anette 5:35:00 PM Carousel, Eventsinkanto, Garden, Kouyou, Travel, Yokohama

The Sankeien Garden is a traditional Japanese garden located in Yokohama's Naka Ward. The garden, which opened in 1906, was the creation of a wealthy businessman who used the space of the garden to reconstruct seventeen historical buildings brought from other cities such as Kyoto and Kamakura. Some areas of the garden are closed to the public during most of the year, but for a short period during the autumn you are permitted to enter these areas and enjoy the sight of the historical buildings here alongside with the autumn foliage.

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The entrance gate to the garden

The easiest way to get to the garden is by bus. If you're going from Yokohama Station you can take municipal bus number 8 or number 148, and after around 35 minutes you get off at the Sankeien-iriguchi (三渓園入り口) bus stop. The walk to the garden from the stop should take around 5 minutes. However, if you're staying in other parts of Yokohama like Kannai, Chuukagai or Minato-Mirai you should ask your hotel about transportation as there probably are shorter routes you can take to get to the garden.

Ticket machine

Entry tickets can be bought upon arrival at the ticket machines to the left of the entrance. Admission is 500 yen/adult and 200 yen/child (Elementary School and below). They also have a 50% student discount.

The first sight that meets you as you enter the garden is the Main Pond where you can enjoy the view of Tōmyō-ji's former Three-storied Pagoda (旧燈明寺三重塔). This and 9 other structures in the garden have been designated as Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government.

Birds on the pond

The Sankeien Garden is also a popular spot for newly wed couples taking wedding photos in traditional kimonos. During our visit to the garden we spotted three beautiful couples in their wedding gowns.

After having enjoyed the view of the pond we went straight for the inner garden, where we found that the autumn leaves were still in vibrant colours although it was already the beginning of December. Below is some pictures from the garden:

Above is a photo of another one of Sankeien's Important Cultural Assets; the Choshukaku which was built in 1623 during Edo Period. It is believed that it originally was located on the premises of Kyoto's Nijojo Castle

Photo with the red leaves

In the inner garden there is also a small bamboo forest

Persimmon hanged up to dry outside one of the buildings in the garden

We also climbed up the hill where Tōmyō-ji's former Three-storied Pagoda was located. From there we had a nice view of the garden.

If you find yourself in Yokohama then the Sankeien is a place worth visiting regardless of season. There are various events held at the garden, which you can check out here (2017).

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
Anette

Basic information

Sankeien Garden (三渓園)
・Access: From Yokohama Station: Take municipal bus number 8 or number 148 to Sankeien-iriguchi (三渓園入り口). The garden is located 5 minutes away from the stop.
・Event Period: The Inner Garden is open to the public November 19th - December 11th (2016)
・Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 ( Last entrance 16:30)*Note that Sankeien is closed on December 29, 30 & 31
・Homepage: http://www.sankeien.or.jp/

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About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.