Wonderful Japanese Gardens in Tokyo
This tour is for those interested in Japanese gardens in Tokyo. Please read their description in the general itinerary and choose three gardens. I will arrange a specific itinerary, including lunch, depending on the location of your hotel and your favorite foods.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel
- I will meet you near the reception. I will show your name on my iPad. I will contact you via WhatsApp, so please have your phone ready. We can find our phone numbers at the bottom of the itinerary two days before the tour date.
Choose three Gardens to go from the following list in the order of my recommendation.
I will propose an itinerary considering the location of your hotel.
1. Kiyosumi Garden
Kiyosumi Garden: This garden used to be the garden of Mitsubishi Zaibatsu, famous for its collection of Japanese stones with lots of birds. (Admission: 300 JPY)
2 Happo-en's Japanese Garden
Happo-en's Japanese Garden: This garden used to be the residence of Samurai named Hikozaemon Okubo.
In 1915, Fusanosuke Kuhara started a guest house to welcome foreign businessmen.
He was the founder of many Japanese company such as Hitachi and Nissan.
Happo-en is now successful in wedding party business with this well-maintained garden.
You can see very old Bonsai and varicolored carps in this garden.
3. Koishikawa Koraku-en Garden
Koishikawa Koraku-en Garden: This garden was made in 1626 by Yorifusa Tokugawa who was one of the brothers of Shogun during Edo period. It is a typical stroll type Japanese garden for samurai lords with the scenery of lake Biwa, Ohi river, and Kiso river. It has a wonderful atmosphere in the middle of Tokyo. (Admission: 300 JPY)
4. Rikugi-en Garden
Rikugi-en Garden: This is a typical strolling type Japanese garden in Edo period made by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu who loved Japanese old poems. He was a favorite assistant of 5th Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa.
He wanted to reproduce the scenes of Japanese poems.
There are 88 sceneries from the old collection of Japanese poems.
(Admission: 300 JPY)
5. Hamarikyu Garden
Hamarikyu Garden: This garden used to be the duck hunting field of the Tokugawa Shoguns during Edo period. There are beautiful ponds with salt water, renovated hunting hedges, rest houses, flower field, and a huge 300-year-old pine tree. (Admission: 300 JPY)
6. Shinjyuku-gyeon Garden
Shinjuku-gyoen Garden: This garden used to be a duck hunting field for samurai lords and the Emperor. This garden is next to Shinjuku area, very large, so many kinds of trees and has a well maintained Japanese garden. It is very popular in the spring with many kinds of cherry blossoms. (Admission: 500 JPY including the guide, closed on Mondays)
7. Hotel New Otani's Japanese garden
Hotel New Otani's Japanese garden: This garden was made and maintained by the high-end hotel, which is open to public for free. It is a compact and wonderful garden with a marvelous waterfall. It has a dry landscape garden, too. (Admission free)
8. Shunka-en Bonsai Museum
Bonsai is the living art of trees with moss in a flowerpot.
This museum is operated by famous bonsai creator "Kunio Kobayashi".
You can appreciate so many bonsai master peaces in the garden and in the rooms.
(Admission 2,000 JPY/person, including the guide, closed on Mondays)
9. Ex-Furukawa Garden
This property used to be the residence of Furukawa family during Meiji period.
There are Japanese, western rose gardens, and the western style old mansion.
The Japanese garden was bult by Jihey- Ogawa a famous gardener in Kyoto.
You can see many stone lanterns in the garden, dry water fall, and Kyoto style tea house with a moss garden.
This garden is not so popular yet, so is very quiet.
(admission: 150 JPY, 70 JPY over 65)
Ending Point
At your hotel
Want to personalize this tour?
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This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Guide fee,
Hotel pick up
Transportation cost of the guide within Tokyo
Transportation cost of you (about 1,000 JPY per person within Tokyo)
Transportation cost of the guide outside of Tokyo (If you stay outside of Tokyo such as Disneyland.)
Lunch cost of you and the guide, entrance fee (described in each place in highlights, free for the guide)
Tour Important Information
We will walk a lot as these are strolling type gardens; about 20,000 steps a day.
- The tour guide is not available on Monday.
- Please, send a direct message to the tour guide for confirming the availability before booking
Not available on Mondays.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
About Tour Guide Yuki K.
I was born and grew up in Yokohama. I used to work in Tokyo for more than 20 years. I became the National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter in English in 2013. At first, I had attended a volunteer group which provided a tour of the Imperial Palace East Gardens until 2015. I guided more than fifty times in the garden as a volunteer and studied about Japanese history and culture. Based on this experience, I became a tour guide of this online site in 2015.
Since then, I have guided more than 500 tours in Tokyo as well as Yokohama, Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto, Nikko, etc., while improving my tours. My tours are very flexible and I always do my best to customize them according to the interests of my guests. I studied about the places and will provide you knowledge to appreciate them deeper than just visiting there by yourself or a member of big group tours. I like foods and I know many restaurants which provide typical Japanese lunch with reasonable price without waiting too long. Therefore, I am sure that I can provide you the best tours customized to your interests. It will be my great pleasure to help you to enjoy your stay in Japan. So please be my guest!!
Reviews
Ricardo C.
“Great guide! ”
Had a very memorable tour with Yuki. He is experienced, very warm and easy to talk to and adjusted to our needs.
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Yuki K.
Dear Ricardo, Thank you for your review. We visited the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine. These are the must-visit places in Tokyo. We have our lunch at the restaurant in the Shine. Please give my best regards to your family!
Melanie M.
“Mt. Fuji Family Tour”
Yuki was so knowledgeable and kind! He was very friendly and took care of the group. I would definitely contact him again to tour other parts of Japan.
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Yuki K.
Dear Helanie, Thank you for your review. I've got your message on my phone. Mt. Fuji is very shady in summer. Please come again in the winter season.
Laurian G.
“A wonderful experience ”
We are so glad we booked this tour. Navigating Shibuya station is no easy task! But Yuki made it seem easy. The Shinkansen was a highlight for us! We loved our time in Kyoto, especially O’Hara - beautiful authentic Japan - away from the crowds. Yuki shared his passion and knowledge of the area with us. It does get expensive when you add in all the tickets and meals but we were aware ahead of time.
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Yuki K.
Dear Laurian, Thank you for your review. It was a great tour of Kyoto where we covered Ohara Sanzen-inn Temple in addition to popular places like Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Fushimi-Shrine. We had a nice lunch at Ranzan in Arashiyama and at a casual restaurant in Ohara. We had to change Mt. Fuji tour to a Tokyo tour because of the weather on that day. The Shinkansen is very expensive, but it makes it possible to visit Kyoto in two days. Please give my best regards to your family and Agam.
$183/ per group
More tours by Yuki K.
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Tokyo À la Carte Private Tour – Choose from 50+ Destinations
This tour covers my favorite places in Tokyo. You can choose three places from the list of more than 50 options in Tokyo, categorized as Temple & Shrine, Garden, Shopping, Observatory, Museum, Experience, and Others. I'll find a place for our lunch based on your choice and offer you a specific itinerary.
Tokyo À la Carte Private Tour – Choose from 50+ Destinations
Private Day Tour to Hakone – Scenic Highlights & Mt. Fuji Views (Weather Permitting)
This tour is arranged based on my experience, more than 100 times. If we can expect the view of Mt. Fuji by a live camera, I will take you to the best places for viewing it as early as possible. Where you can enjoy the view without having to wait long. If not, I will take you to other popular places you can enjoy without the view, expecting the view at a later part of the tour. Hakone is famous for hot spring baths; you can try a public or private one if you want by extending the tour time.
Private Day Tour to Hakone – Scenic Highlights & Mt. Fuji Views (Weather Permitting)
Kyoto Private Day Tour from Tokyo by Shinkansen with Hotel Pick-Up
This tour is for those who want to visit Kyoto and return to Tokyo within a day. We will use the fastest bullet train "Nozomi" for our round trip to Kyoto station, which costs about 30,000 JPY per adult (you and the guide), in addition to my guiding fee. You can't use the JR Pass for this tour due to its restrictions. You can choose one route from the list bellow. 1. Miyabi route (Most popular places) 2. Golden route (Most scenic places) 3. History route (Most quiet and historical places)
Kyoto Private Day Tour from Tokyo by Shinkansen with Hotel Pick-Up
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Private Day Tour to Kamakura – Great Buddha & Hasedera Temple
Kamakura used to the capital of Japan during 12th to 14th century. It was the first period governed by the samurai warriors; Shoguns.Since samurai practiced Zen Buddhism, there are many Zen Temples which were built before those in Kyoto.
Private Day Tour to Kamakura – Great Buddha & Hasedera Temple
Other Popular Nature & Outdoor Tours in Tokyo
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One-day trip to Hakone
Hakone (箱根) is a part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than one hundred kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, natural beauty, and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.
One-day trip to Hakone
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Tokyo Cherry Blossoms viewing at various spots (1)
This tour introduces you about Tokyo Cherry Blossoms viewing at various spots such as Chidorigafuchi park, Yasukuni shrine, Tokyo Midtown and Nogizaka park. The season of this tour is around mid of March to that of April. You can focus to enjoy the beautiful Cherry Blossoms during this tour.
Tokyo Cherry Blossoms viewing at various spots (1)
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Let's enjoy representing Japanese gardens in Tokyo
Japanese garden is one of the most sophisticated gardens in the world, that harmonize the beautiful and rich nature of Japan with excellent gardening techniques. The daimyo (feudal load) gardens in Tokyo are said to be the ultimate form of Japanese gardens.While touring Tokyo's gardens, we can enjoy the four seasons of Tokyo, such as the cherry blossoms in spring and the autumn leaves.
Let's enjoy representing Japanese gardens in Tokyo
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Mt. Takao: temples, monkeys & waterfall
Get the Tengu's protection with an easy forest trail just 1h from Tokyo! The temple devoted to those deities, is surrounded by centuries-old trees, home of flying squirrels and monkeys. With along the way waterfalls still in use by monks for meditation. Mt. Takao hiking is relatively easy and only requires comfortable shoes, and if the weather is favorable, Mt. Fuji can be seen at the submit! And in the old town, restaurants and snacks offer a different taste than the capital.
Mt. Takao: temples, monkeys & waterfall
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