Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden 新宿御苑
|
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen is near Shinjuku Gyoen-mae Station on the Marunouchi Line. This is Shinjuku Gate, one of the three gates to the park. Admission 200 yen.
|
|
These pictures were taken soon after the garden gates opened at 9 am in early April 2010 when it was overcast.
|
|
From morning, people spread their picnic mats to claim their spot under or near the best cherry trees.
|
|
|
Map of Shinjuku Gyoen. It's huge with a variety of Japanese and Western gardens, not to mention thousands of trees.
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen has about 1,500 cherry trees.
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen had its beginnings as the estate of the Naito clan, a retainer of the Tokugawa shogun.
|
|
|
Former Imperial Rest House (Kyu-gokyusho), an Important Cultural Property. This Western-style building was where Imperial family members rested while visiting the garden.
|
|
About the former Imperial Rest House in Japanese.
|
|
|
Garden management office.
|
|
The greenhouse was closed due to reconstruction.
|
|
What the new greenhouse will look like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tamamo Pond
|
|
Cherry tree at Tamamo Pond.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Part of the English Landscape Garden which is mainly a grassy lawn.
|
|
Next to the English Garden is this French Formal Garden.
|
|
|
French Formal Garden is not yet colorful in early April.
|
|
A flower named after the International Herald Tribune.
|
|
French Formal Garden
|
|
French Formal Garden
|
|
|
|
A cluster of weeping cherry trees.
|
|
|
Sakura roof
|
|
|
This is the tree which caught everyone's eye. It actually has flowers in three colors. All on one tree.
|
|
Everyone commented on how a single tree could have three different colored flowers.
|
|
|
Multi-colored cherry blossoms, Shinjuku Gyoen.
|
|
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
|
|
|
Naka-no-ike Pond (Middle Pond)
|
|
|
|
|
How it looks in May with azalea.
|
|
So many cherry blossoms. It can take hours to see them all.
|
|
|
|
Cherry blossoms along the pond, Shinjuku Gyoen.
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
|
|
|
|
|
Another distinguished building is this Chinese-style Taiwan Pavilion (Goryo-tei) built by Japanese in Taiwan in 1927.
|
|
|
|
You can enter the Taiwan Pavilion for free. Enter from the back.
|
|
About the Taiwan Pavilion.
|
|
Inside the Taiwan Pavilion, Shinjuku Gyoen Goryo-tei. Today it's an open-air lookout deck.
|
|
Originally, it was not open-air.
|
|
Great panoramic view from the Taiwan Pavilion.
|
|
|
Pine tree in the pond in front of the Taiwan Pavilion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bridge over the Kami-no-ike Pond. (Upper Pond)
|
|
Traditional Japanese Garden at Kami-no-ike Pond. (Upper Pond)
|
|
Large camellia bush next to a cherry tree.
|
|
|
|
|
Amazing tree sprouting another trunk after being cut down.
|
|
|
Here and there is a plaque like this in front of a large tree asking you what kind of tree it is. The answer is under the top flap.
|
|
I spent 3 hours walking around this garden. Would've taken longer if the sky was blue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hanami picnickers have to be well-behaved since alcoholic beverages are not allowed inside Shinjuku Gyoen. No bicycles, no badminton or games, no musical instruments or karaoke either.
|
|
Without alcohol, it's less noisy. But if you like to drink, go to Yoyogi Park instead.
|
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen Sendagaya Gate
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen Sendagaya Gate in autumn
|
|
Shinjuku Gyoen Garden in autumn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Large ginkgo tree at Shinjuku Goyen Garden, Tokyo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
French Formal Garden in autumn at Shinjuku Gyoen Garden.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pine trees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cherry blossom that blooms in autumn.
|
|
Cherry blossom that blooms in Oct.
|
|
Cherry blossom that blooms in Oct.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crow
|
|
Another gingko tree outside the garden.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
