From Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens to Tokyo Dome City, Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens, and Yushima Tenmangu Shrine

History and Regional Charm

In the district stretching from Suidobashi to Yushima, the faces of Tokyo across various eras—from Edo and Meiji to Showa—still remain.

It began in 1629, during the early Edo period. Tokugawa Yorifusa, the first lord of the Mito Tokugawa clan, built a garden at his Edo secondary residence (nakayashiki), and it was completed during the reign of the second lord, Mitsukuni. This is Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, the oldest surviving daimyo (feudal lord) garden from the Edo period. In the early Meiji period, a military artillery arsenal was built on the mansion grounds, but the garden was preserved. On the former site of that artillery arsenal, Korakuen Stadium opened in 1937, marking the beginning of today's Tokyo Dome City.

Further east, near Yushima Station, Iwasaki Hisaya, the third president of Mitsubishi, built his main residence in 1896. This is now Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens. Just to the south lies Yushima Tenmangu Shrine, which is said to have been founded in 458, the second year of Emperor Yuryaku's reign. Enshrining Sugawara no Michizane, who is known as the deity of learning, it has been renowned as a famous plum blossom viewing spot since the Edo period.

A feudal lord's garden, a vibrant district of baseball and entertainment, the mansion of a Meiji-era industrialist, and an ancient Tenjin shrine. This walking course allows you to experience the overlapping layers of Tokyo's history.

Key Highlights

• ​Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens​​: A garden designated by the national government as both a Special Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. The central pond, Daisensui, represents Lake Biwa, and the turtle-shaped Horai Island floats in it. Engetsu-kyo (Full Moon Bridge), which is said to have been designed by the Ming Confucian scholar Zhu Shunshui, was named because its reflection on the water's surface looks like a full moon.
• ​Tokyo Dome City​​: Centered on Tokyo Dome, which opened in 1988 as Japan's first all-weather multipurpose stadium, this complex brings together the Attractions amusement park, LaQua, Korakuen Hall, and more. Tokyo Dome is constructed like a balloon, with its roof membrane supported by air pressure differences.
• ​Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens​​: The Western-style residence, designed by Josiah Conder, an architect famous for the Rokumeikan, features 17th-century English Jacobean-style decorations throughout. The Japanese-style large hall (Ohiroma), based on the shoin-zukuri style, and a Swiss chalet-style billiard room also remain.
• ​Yushima Tenmangu Shrine​​: The current main shrine building is constructed of all-cypress wood in the gongen-zukuri style, rebuilt in 1995. The "Nade-ushi" (rubbing cow) on the grounds is believed to bring relief if you rub the same spot as any part of your body causing concern, and many visitors can be seen rubbing its head to pray for passing exams. The plum grove contains around 300 plum trees, about 80% of which are white plum blossoms.

Recommended Route and Duration

The estimated time required is about 4 hours. Begin walking from the West Gate of Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, a 3-minute walk from Exit C3 of Iidabashi Station on the Toei Oedo Line. Entering from the West Gate, a weeping cherry tree welcomes visitors. Stroll around Daisensui and view Engetsu-kyo Bridge as well as the stream patterned after Kyoto's Oi River.

Exit through the East Gate, and Tokyo Dome City is about 260 meters to the east. The scenery shifts from the serenity of the garden to a lively city. Revolving doors are used at the entrances of Tokyo Dome in order to maintain internal air pressure.

From Tokyo Dome City to Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens, walk through town for about 1.5 kilometers east-northeast. Shoes must be removed when entering the Kyu-Iwasaki-tei building. To protect the cultural properties, visitors are asked to wear socks. Take time to view the English Minton tiles laid on the first-floor veranda of the Western-style residence, as well as the lawn garden within the combined Japanese and Western-style grounds matching the architecture.

About 220 meters south of Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens is Yushima Tenmangu Shrine. On the eastern side of the grounds are Otokozaka Slope, a steep stone staircase of 38 steps, and Onnazaka Slope, a gentler staircase of 33 steps. The best time to see the plum blossoms is usually from mid-February to early March, when the Bunkyo Plum Festival is held. After visiting the shrine, it is about a 2-minute walk to Yushima Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line.

Experience Summary

From a feudal lord's garden reflecting Mitsukuni's vision to an entertainment hub that started on the site of an artillery arsenal. Recall the life of the Iwasaki family at the Meiji-era Western residence, and finally offer a prayer at Yushima's Tenjin shrine. Enjoy walking through the continuous history of Tokyo from the Edo period to the present.