Momijigari with Elizabeth Rose - Rikugien, Tokyo

Susuki and momiji at Rikugien, Tokyo

After the beautiful ginkgo trees at Todai, our next Tokyo momijigari stop is Rikugien. As mentioned, Rikugien is one of Tokyo's popular autumn viewing spots.

The name of Rikugien (六義園) literally means "6 tenets of poetry garden", and comes from the 6 classifications of poetry in Chinese poetry, which influenced the classification of Japanese waka poetry in the Kokin Wakashū (「古今和歌集」; already discussed in the Sentō Imperial Palace post).

Rikugien

Rikugien was created in 1702 (the 15th year of the Genroku period, an era that is considered to the Golden Age of the Edo era) by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu (柳沢 吉保), on land that was given to him by the 5th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (徳川 綱吉) (1680-1709). The garden was designed to reproduce 88 scenes from famous places in China and Japan, as well as waka poems, and some of the garden's scenery are so named.

During the Meiji era, Rikugien became a second residence of Iwasaki Yatarō (岩崎弥太郎), the founder of the Mitsubishi Group. In 1938, the Iwasaki family donated Rikugien to Tokyo, and it became a public garden. Rikugien was designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty in 1953.

Deshio-no-Minato, Rikugien

At one side of the large pond is the Deshio-no-Minato (出汐湊), a beautifully curved shoreline around the large pond, references an ancient waka that says "A crane cries sadly as the moon rides and tide washes the shores of Wakanoura".

Nakanoshima, Rikugien

In the middle of the pond is the Nakanoshima (中の島), with two garden hills on it. The two garden hills on the Nakanoshima are called Imo-yama (妹山) and Se-yama (背山) - the vernacular terms for "woman" (imo) and "man" (se). The two hills also supposedly reference Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto, the Japanese god and goddess that together birthed the islands of Japan and the kami.

Rikugien

Next to the Deshio-no-Minato is a spot of shoreline called Tamamo-no-Iso (玉藻の磯), and in front of it is a small cluster of arranged stones called Hōraijima (蓬莱島). It references the mythological island-mountain Hōrai (Penglai in Chinese mythology) where the Eight Immortals were based. According to Chinese mythology, Hōrai is pretty much a paradise - there is no pain or winter, rice bowls and wine glasses are never emptied, and there grows magical fruits that could heal any disease, give eternal youth and resurrect the dead. 

Tazuruhashi, Rikugien

Along the way I passed the Tazuruhashi (田鶴橋), a earthen bridge that links the mainland to Nakanoshima. It looks beautiful with the red autumn foliage from the maple contrasted against the green grass growing from the earth on the bridge, and the susuki on covering the other end of the bridge.

There are around 3 other earthen bridges in Rikugien: the Chidoribashi, Yamakagebashi, Fujinamibashi.

Susuki and momiji at the Tazuruhashi, Rikugien

Got closer to the Tazuruhashi for a closer shot of the susuki, which looked beautiful against the red foliage of the maple tree.

Rikugien is considered one of Tokyo's most beautiful Japanese landscape gardens, and is a fine example of an Edo period Japanese stroll garden (kaiyu-shiki teien). Rambling lanes cross over and around the garden, and around the large pond with its two islands. The north part of Rikugien is truly one of the best spots to admire the autumn foliage.

Autumn foliage, Rikugien

Autumn foliage, Rikugien

Admittedly, it is also a very popular autumn-viewing spot, which translates to crowds.

One of the tea houses under a blazing maple tree, Rikugien

Probably the most popular spot in Rikugien is the Togetsukyo (渡月橋), a stone bridge framed by maples.

Togetsukyo, Rikugien

We were able to view the bridge while the maples were clad in red autumn foliage - yes, a really beautiful scene. This is despite that the fact that there was a constant stream of people that kept crossing it. They even had to station a park staff at one end of the bridge to direct human traffic. ∑[ ᴼ ▃ ᴼ ]~!!!

Togetsukyo, Rikugien

The Togetsuko was inspired by a waka poem --「和歌のうら　芦辺の田鶴の鳴声に　夜わたる月の　影そさひしき」- about the view of the moon moving across the sky, with the cry of a crane in a nearby rice paddy. Okay, it sounds beautiful, but somehow I cannot see it...

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More on Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn, November 2016

- I. Yokohama & the Miho Museum - Chinatown (Heichinrou, Yokohama Mazu Temple) ● Yamashita Park ● Zou-no-Hana ● Osanbashi Pier ● Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses ● Miho Museum

- II. Kyoto - Tofukuji ● Kiyomizudera ● Sohonzan Komyoji ● Eikando Zenrinji ● Manshuin Monzeki ● Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki ● Nanzenji, Nanzenin & Tenjuan ● Kitano Tenmangu ● Shugakuin Imperial Villa ● Sento Imperial Palace ● Kyoto Imperial Palace

- III. Tokyo - Tokyo University ● Rikugien ● Tokyo Imperial Palace & the East Gardens ● Kotonoha no Niwa trip to at Shinjuku Gyoen ● Italian at Salvatore Cuomo Bros., XEX Tokyo ● Sushi Masuda ● Nishiazabu Taku (aka Sushi Taku) ● Sushi Nakamura (1st taste of Juyondai) ● Sushi Tokami (1st taste of tossaki) ● molecular gastronomy at Tapas Molecular Bar ● French-Japanese at La Paix, Nihonbashi

- IV: Fuji Five Lakes - Part 1 (Bessho Sasa, revisited) ● Part 2 (Fuji Subaru 5th Station, Motosuko & Koyodai) ● Part 3 (Fujisansaku Park, Motosuko, Shojiko, Saiko, Kawaguchiko)

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