Futakotamagawa Park

In short

Futakotamagawa Park is a Setagaya municipal park surrounded by the greenery of the Kokubunji Cliff Line and the waterside of the Tama River. Opened in 2013, it features Kishin-en, the first authentic Japanese garden in a Setagaya municipal park.

• ​Kishin-en​​: A Japanese garden themed on the Tama River, Mount Fuji, and the Kokubunji Cliff Line, designed based on universal design principles.
• ​Former Shimizu Residence Shoin​​: A drawing room built around 1910, relocated and restored within Kishin-en; it is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Setagaya Ward.
• ​Observation Square​​: From this sunny observation square in the park, you can also view Mount Fuji and the Tanzawa Mountains.

History and Highlights

Futakotamagawa Park is a Setagaya municipal park that opened on April 14, 2013. Located about a 9-minute walk from Futako-tamagawa Station, it is situated in an area surrounded by the greenery of the Kokubunji Cliff Line and the waterside of the Tama River.

Kishin-en inside the park is the first authentic Japanese garden among Setagaya municipal parks. Its themes are the Tama River, Mount Fuji, and the Kokubunji Cliff Line. Designed based on universal design, it is regarded as a new type of garden where anyone can enjoy Japanese spatial culture.

Within the garden stands the Former Shimizu Residence Shoin. This shoin drawing room was built around 1910 in Nakanegishi, around present-day Negishi, Taito Ward. In 1919, it was moved to the Shimizu family estate in Seta. Along the Kokubunji Cliff Line around Okamoto, Seta, and Noge was an area where many political and business figures built villas from the Meiji period through the early Showa period.

The residence was sold in 1952, and plans to demolish the shoin were made in 1979. At that time, the ward highly valued its worth as modern Japanese-style architecture, received the dismantled components, and kept them in storage. Then, in 2013, it was relocated and restored within Kishin-en.

Appreciation and Experience Highlights

• ​Former Shimizu Residence Shoin​​: A building with a compact layout consisting of an 11-tatami main shoin room and an adjoining 5-tatami room, surrounded by an L-shaped veranda. The sliding doors of the alcove cabinet feature a gorgeous design depicting arrowroot and wisteria on a gold-leaf background, which is a signature feature of this shoin. As a rare Meiji-period modern Japanese-style building within the ward, it is registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Setagaya Ward.
• ​Kishin-en Pond and Waterfall​​: In this stroll-style Japanese garden, the shoin stands on the shore of a pond modeled after the Tama River. Features such as a waterfall head (takiguchi) designed to evoke the headwaters of the Tama River incorporate considerations for the eye level of wheelchair users throughout.
• ​Setagaya Forest of Life and Observation Square​​: The park features the "Setagaya Forest of Life," where approximately 1,400 saplings planted together with ward residents are growing. The park enjoys abundant sunlight, and from the observation square, you can also look out over the Tanzawa Mountains and Mount Fuji.

Walking Tips

It is about a 9-minute walk from Futako-tamagawa Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, and about an 8-minute walk from Kaminoge Station on the Tokyu Oimachi Line. It is a good idea to first check information on the park's highlights and events at the visitor center. At Kishin-en, try walking around the pond and viewing the Former Shimizu Residence Shoin standing on the shore. Within the park, there is a children's open space where children can enjoy ball games and a playground with play equipment for toddlers, making it enjoyable for families.