I can honestly say Sankeien Garden in Yokohama might be the most memorable park I’ve visited during this Japan trip. In terms of scale, it’s so large that I don’t think this one post alone won’t be able to cover all the things that I saw there. So if you’re ready then buckle up coz this is gonna be a long one!
Visiting Sankeien Garden: A Reinvigorating Walk
I visited Sankeien Garden in the morning and was immediately greeted with this sight. This was the entrance to the garden and my immediate thought was that this looked absolutely expansive. Rather than a garden, this actually looked like the entrance to some forest path.
Before I went inside, I decided to check out these signs near the garden’s ticketing counters. One time admission for an individual adult is only JPY900 though there is also the option to get a one-year pass for just JPY2500. If you’re in a group of at least 10 then you could also get JPY100 off on the regular fee. Much like a lot of the parks (like the Yamashita Park which is also here in Yokohama), shrines, and temples I’ve visited, Sankeien Garden has a list of things that it prohibits guests from bringing and doing. Aside from prohibiting smoking, other disallowed activities/items here include pets, vehicles/bicycles, drones, and the taking/collecting of wildlife (just to name a few).
It was thanks to this map that I kind of realized just how large Sankeien Garden actually is. I mean, I already read that it was large but seeing the map and the view from the entrance really gave me a better idea of the scale of the park. Anyway, I took note of the places I wanted to visit and paid the admission fee to start my walk.
I’m now inside Sankeien Garden at the first intersection and I’ll say this again, the place just looks massive. Even from this vantage point, the trees in the distance still look really tall!
Turning left from the intersection, I came across one of the attractions that the garden is famous for: its Wisteria Trellis. Unfortunately I visited in late fall/early winter so the wisteria had already shed its leaves and flowers.
From the Wisteria Trellis, you’ll get to enjoy this view of the garden’s Main Pond and the Three Story Pagoda of the Former Tomyoji Temple off in the distance. The ducks frolicking in the pond are, if I’m not mistaken, the common pochard that usually migrate to Japan during the winter season.
Following the route on the right led me to this scenic path that showcased not only the beauty of the pond, but also the garden’s stellar landscaping. If I’m not mistaken, the trees here are Japanese red pine and they sort of reminded me of those Edo-period paintings (which usually featured these trees).
This was the view as I got closer to the Sankei Memorial and Kankatei Arbor areas. From here you can actually see the pavilion on Kankatei Arbor (on the left) as well as some of the establishments close to the Takahama Kyoshi haiku monument.
To my right, you’ll find this view of the Water Lily Pond. Again, as this was during the winter, you aren’t going to find any water lilies here. That said, this should be teeming with them come spring and summer.
I’ve now reached the Inner Garden area. From here I’ll have access to the Gomon, Hakuuntei, and Sankei Memorial landmarks. If you want to rest and maybe grab a bite, then you’re going to want to head in the direction opposite from this (as that way has the establishments we saw earlier).
This building is part of the Sankei Memorial. It’s basically a museum dedicated to the life of Tomitaro “Sankei” Hara, a Japanese businessman who made his money off of the silk trade in the 1900s. The museum features his collection of letters, paintings, and scrolls that all came from or are related to the buildings you’ll find here in the garden.
This sign features directions to the location of three of the 17 buildings that Tomitaro Hara managed to relocate. The Rinshunkaku is probably the building I’m most excited to see considering its history (it served as a villa for the Kishu Tokugawa).
Right next to the sign earlier is this display featuring a short history of the Gomon Gate. The photograph is believed to have been taken about a century or so ago when the Inner Garden area was still closed to the public. It is interesting to note that the gate was initially called the Momoyama Gomon because people thought that the Rinshunkaku behind it was a building made in the Momoyama style for Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
From this path you can see the entrance to the Sankei Memorial and a little further on, the turn you’ll need to make to get to the front door of the Rinshunkaku. It was one of the few days when the sky wasn’t overcast so the sunlight was just permeating everything.
This is a shot of the Gomon from the front of the door of the first pavilion of the Rinshunkaku. The gate was open all this time but I decided to not go through it earlier because I wanted to see and go past the Sankei Memorial’s entrance.
After checking out the door of the Rinshunkaku’s first pavilion, I went ahead and checked the rest of the building. Here’s a display explaining its history and how it eventually got to be a part of Sankeien Garden.
Here’s a picture showing the second pavilion on the left and the first pavilion of the Rinshunkaku (partially hidden by the trees in the foreground) on the right. Not shown is the third pavilion which is behind and to the right of the second.
This is the pathway leading to the entrance of the building. The entrance to the second pavilion is quite visible and during my visit, you could actually see inside the Naniwa room.
It was only shown partially in one of the previous pictures but there’s actually a pond here. Parts of the Rinshunkaku’s second pavilion is on top of this pond and the Naniwa room I mentioned earlier actually has a really nice view of it as well as the Teisha Bridge off in the distance.
This is the Naniwa-no-Ma or the Naniwa room of the Rinshunkaku’s second pavilion building. As you can see, visitors aren’t allowed to sit on the veranda so keep that in mind when you decide to visit in the future.
After checking out the second and first pavilion, I decided to move on to the third which is said to be the most beautiful of the buildings of the Rinshunkaku. To get there, I had to walk past this bridge first.
So the basin down at the bottom of this picture is called a tsukubai. It functions similar to a chozubachi where visitors can use the water stored in it to symbolically purify themselves before entering shrines or a tea ceremony. It seems like it’s not used that way anymore though and it’s become more of a decorative element here as well as wishing well.
Directly opposite the tsukubai is another structure relocated here at Sankeien Garden called the Juto Oido Hall of the Former Tenzuiji Temple. Apparently, this was made by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to encircle a stone monument called a juto. This stone monument was said to signify Hideyoshi’s wish of long life for his mother and good health for himself.
I read once that the Romans actually painted their statues and palaces with really gaudy colors and the passage of time just stripped all of those pigments away. This actually applies to Japanese structures as well. According to the sign in the previous image, the Juto Oido Hall’s pillars, doors, and even the detailed carvings were all painted at one point in time.
Just a couple of steps from the Juto Oido Hall is the Teisha Bridge. What makes this unique is the pavilion at its center that I’m still not sure serves any kind of purpose other than for aesthetics. Also in this picture is the third pavilion of the Rinshunkaku.
Here’s a much clearer view of the third pavilion and how it connects to the second. Unlike the rest of the pavilions, this one has two floors and its construction is said to be much more refined. Some of the stuff I read online states that this pavilion could have originally been for a lady of the Kishu Tokugawa due to how delicate its construction was.
I’m now getting close to the third pavilion and it really does look more refined and delicate. Like with the second pavilion though, sitting on the floor of the veranda isn’t allowed here.
While sitting on the floor is prohibited, the sliding door does provide visitors with a peep of the inside of the room. Similar to the Naniwa Room, you also get a nice view of the pond and the Teisha bridge from here.
After appreciating the Rinshunkaku, I decided to check other buildings on this side of the garden. Walking further in the path that I followed earlier brought me to Gekkaden. Also called the Moon Viewing Pavilion, this building was said to be a part of Fushimi Castle.
I went up the stairs to get a closer look inside the Gekkaden’s rooms and was actually surprised at how spacious it was. The building was said to have been used as Fushimi Castle’s waiting room for when daimyo (feudal lords) visited.
Again, visitors are discouraged from sitting on the entryways to the veranda in this building. As for why this might be, I think it has a lot to do with the age of the buildings and how the veranda could end up getting damaged if visitors continually sit on these.
Right next to the Gekkaden is a teahouse or Hasso-an called Kinmokutso. At first I thought this was part of the building but apparently it’s its own thing.
Here are some signs detailing the histories of these buildings. Based on these, Kinmotsu is actually an original design that Sankei Hara himself came up with. The materials used for its construction though was made from what remained of Daikokuji Temple’s Kinmokutso Gate (hence the name).
Just across the Gekkaden is the Tenjuin building. I think it’s one of the more peculiar buildings here in Sankeien Garden owing to how different its roofing is. Whereas other buildings have tiles for their roofing, this one makes use of thatch.
Reading the sign on this post, I finally realized the reason for the thatched roofing on this building. According to this, the hall is of Zen Buddhist origin and was initially a part of the Shinpeiji Temple in Kamakura. It’s said that the hall has been around since 1651 and was eventually relocated to its current location in 1916.
Along with earthen floors, thatch is a hallmark of Zen Buddhist architecture thanks to how it evokes nature and simplicity. That said, this type of architecture also features sashimono techniques that are not only detailed but seem like they’d be complicated to accomplish even with modern day equipment.
I tried searching online and apparently the specific construction technique on display here is called kumimono or masugumi. It’s essentially a system of brackets and blocks that interlock to provide support for a building’s eaves. Much like thatch and earthen flooring, this is also a common fixture of Zen Buddhist architecture.
It should be noted that this is not the same as the first bridge I passed by earlier. Instead, this is part of a path that would take us to Choshukaku, another of the relocated buildings in this area.
I continued to walk toward the bridge and couldn’t help but think of how nice this path is. The whole walk has been very enjoyable thus far and despite the sun being out, it was still relatively cold (this time being winter and all). At this point, I also started seeing the Chonshukaku’s roof.
Right before I turned the corner I came across this stone lantern and this really tall stone tasoto or multi-layered pagoda.
After turning the corner, I’m now in front of the Choshukaku. According to the sign, the building was supposed to have been built by Tokugawa Iemitsu sometime in 1623. Initially it was in Ni Jo Jo Castle in Tokyo but was relocated in 1922 to complete Sankeinen’s collection of culturally significant buildings.
The sign also talks about how peculiar the building’s design is. If you noticed the Rinshunkaku and Gekkaden buildings earlier, their verandas were elevated and on the same level as the entrance of the rooms. Choshukaku’s is different though.
While it has a veranda, this doesn’t cover the whole perimeter of the building (as seen in this image). Moreover, the entrance to the building is actually lower than the level of the veranda. This has led to speculation that the entrance was connected to a moat or a body of water and people then alighted to it from their yakatabune.
With how the building is just beside a stream, this speculation might actually hold water. Anyway, I’ve had enough of my own water puns and decided to proceed to the next area along this path.
Shunshoro would be the name of the next relocated building along this path. Before that building though, I came across another wisteria trellis.
This one was much smaller though I think it still would look good once the wisteria starts blooming again in the spring and summer. Sitting here, you’d also have a great view of the Juto Oido Hall that we saw earlier in another path.
I’ve now reached the Shunsoro and one of the first things I noticed was this building that looks to be a machiai off to its side. I’m not sure if it has any historical significance or if it used to be a part of the building at one point. I will say though that it’s a great spot to rest as by this point, you’ve probably been walking for quite some time.
Here’s the signpost detailing the history of Shunshoro. According to this, the building (specifically the tearoom) was built by Oda Nagamasu in the early 1600s. Along with the Choshohaku, it was relocated to Sankeien in 1922 and rebuilt.
I will say, the Shunshoro building is probably the most idyllic and cozy looking in this area (other than the Rinshunkaku). If this were rented out to visitors for them to stay in then I’m pretty sure it’ll end up getting booked for the whole year.
Opposite the Shunshoro is this sign for a Stone Coffin. It says that this was excavated in Nara and that it’s been dated to the 3rd-4th century AD. If this were true then this is quite possibly the oldest man-made artifact here in the garden.
Here’s a picture of the stone coffin with the Shunshoro in the background. Even from this angle, the building still looks cozy. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing for the stone coffin.
To be honest, the stone coffin reminds me of the chozubachi you’d find in temples and shrines. It’s very plain and without the sign, I’d probably mistake it for a chozubachi. Considering it was made in the 3rd or 4th century though, it’s probably understandable why it’s not as ornate as ones made later.
I continued walking and finally got to the last building in the area. This is the Rengein and from this spot, it looks really interesting.
So according to this sign, the building is an original design that Sankei Hara came up with. This is probably why it looks decidedly different (though not in a bad way) from the other buildings here.
Despite being an original design, the building does have parts of older buildings used in its construction. According to the sign earlier, wood was taken from Byodoin Temple’s Phoenix Hall and used on parts of the building.
One design element missing from this building is the veranda. Most of the relocated buildings I saw here had verandas on them while this surprisingly did not have one. With that said, I think it still looks great and still goes well with the other buildings in this area of the garden.
The bamboo grove close to the Rengein probably has one of the best views in this area. I mean just look at how it manages to diffuse and bounce the sun’s light which then makes the building look as if it’s illuminated.
I’m now nearing the end of my walk through this area of the garden. From this point, I’m only a few steps away from the Kaiganmon Gate.
And sure enough, we’re now looking at the Kaiganmon Gate. It’s said that the gate used to be a part of the Saihoji Temple in Kyoto and that it was constructed some time during the Edo period. Much like the rest of the buildings here, the gate found its way to Sankeien Garden in the 1910s.
Here’s a look at the view from the Kaiganmon Gate. It’s really not much, with only the map off in the distance as a notable landmark. Of course, this changes once spring arrives and the trees here grow back their leaves and flowers.
I checked the map again to see which area I’d like to explore next. Having read somewhere that Shofukaku had some really nice views, I decided that it was going to be my next destination.
A couple of steps forward and I found these steps leading up to the path I needed to follow to get to Shofukaku. This was a scenic route that I think would look even better during the spring or summer season.
What I really liked with this path is that it’s strewn with these sign posts featuring details of the garden’s history. This one talks about the Oyatsukan, an old monk’s house (this is different from the Formal Yanohara Family House) overlooking the sea that was moved here from Kamakura in 1908. The house was destroyed by a fire though and now not much is known of it.
Here’s a nice picture of the Inner Garden when it was still being constructed in the early 1920s. There were actually other buildings here (like the Genkodo mentioned in the post) at the time that were eventually relocated. Also, I think I mentioned this earlier but this area was off-limits to the public until 1958.
Another set of stairs that I needed to climb. Not to worry though as this was a relatively short and uneventful climb. More importantly…
The view once you reach the top of the stairs is just top-notch. There’s still some climbing up some stairs that you’ll need to do but there’s really no need to hurry.
You’ll know you’re close to Shofukaku once you see this sign. Unlike most of the buildings I’ve just been to earlier, this one was constructed in the late 1800s and featured Western and even Chinese architectural influences. An example of this is the use of bricks in the entrance area as well as with the design of the windows.
In this picture you’ll find the remains of the first Shofukaku as well as the top floor of the new one in the background. Unfortunately, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 completely obliterated the original building leaving only the brick remains here.
According to the sign I saw earlier, a lot of valuable items and pieces of art were also lost when the earthquake hit. Included were art pieces made by an artist named Shimomura Kanzan. He was recognized as Sankei Hara’s favorite artist and his works were kept in a room called Kanzan-no-Ma.
I’ve now reached the new Shofukaku! The climb here was honestly worthwhile and I couldn’t wait to check the ocean view that this building is known for.
Before checking out the view, I tried to brush up on the building’s history again. Here are pictures of the old Shofukaku (top left), Hara Zenzaburo (top middle), and Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore (top right). Below these are pictures of two of the art works contained in the building that were lost during the Great Kanto Earthquake. Lower left is Shimomura Kanzan’s ‘Flowers of the Four Seasons’ and to its right is Utagawa Hiroshige’s ‘Cape of Honmuku in Musashi province’.
I’m now at the Shofukaku Observatory and I must say, the view here is fantastic. In this picture you’ll see a glimpse of the Honmuku Shimin Park and the ENEOS Corporation Negishi Refinery in the middle ground.
Here’s a close up view of the Negishi Refinery with the Yokohama South Water Purification Center just across the bay. Thinking about it now, Sankei Hara would have probably enjoyed this view if he saw it considering he was one of Yokohama’s most prominent industrialists when he was still alive.
Here’s a visual guide to help you identify the landmarks that you’ll see from this vantage point. I found this to be really helpful in identifying the Negishi Refinery and the water purification center in the previous image.
I finally end part 1 of this walk with this picture of the Shofukaku Observatory area. I honestly felt reinvigorated for some reason despite all the walking that I’ve been doing throughout this visit. So far, I’ve really enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait to share the next part of my walk through Sankeien Garden.
