Sankeien Garden
Sankeien, A Landscaped Garden In Yokohama Laid Out In 1906 By The Silk Trader Hara Sankei, With Old Buildings Moved From Kyoto And Kamakura, A Three Storey Pagoda And Ponds That Carry Plum, Wisteria, Lotus And Autumn Leaves In Turn. · Yokohama, Kanagawa
Sankeien is a large landscaped garden on the south side of Yokohama, laid out from 1906 by the silk merchant Hara Sankei - confirm the exact dates. Instead of a flat lawn it is a hilly walk round ponds and streams, with a number of old buildings moved here from Kyoto and Kamakura and set among the trees. The best known are a three-storey pagoda from a Kyoto temple, said to date from 1457, and the Rinshunkaku villa, a graceful house with a view over the water - confirm which interiors are open. The planting follows the year: plum in February, wisteria in spring, lotus in July and autumn leaves in late November. It suits couples, photographers and anyone who wants quiet after central Yokohama. Allow two hours. It is worth the bus ride on a fine day in bloom season, and less so on a grey winter afternoon, when the paths feel bare. Wear walking shoes, as the loop is hilly. Bring cash for the gate and the tea house, and expect the busiest crowds on blossom and leaf weekends.
58-1 Honmoku Sannotani, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, a bus ride from Yokohama or Negishi Station, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
The outer garden is usually open from morning to late afternoon every day, with a separate fee for some inner buildings that close earlier, and it may close for a few days around New Year - confirm hours and last entry, which is usually 30 minutes before closing. Special evening openings can run for cherry blossom or autumn colour; confirm dates. From Yokohama or Negishi Station a city bus takes roughly 15 to 25 minutes; check the stop name on the day. IC cards work on the bus, but the ticket gate and the tea house prefer cash. Nothing needs booking.