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Teien Art Museum Garden

We were eager to see some Japanese gardens. One of the first days spent in Tokyo started at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum garden. The driveway leading in was lined with trees, Azaleas, Camellias, ferns and pruned shrubs. A verdant planting of layers and textures.

In front of the Museum the drive circled an oval bed, covered with lawn and plants manicured into low mounds. It was a stunning sight, a garden of pruned shrubs setting off this Art Deco building which was the former residence of Prince Asaka.

Garden Layout

The garden has 3 main areas. A large lawn, a Japanese style garden with Tea House and a European garden. Although all the areas were beautiful and carefully maintained, it was the Japanese section that held us. It contained many of the features we expected, but the impact of being there, the atmosphere it created - we were totally overwhelmed.

Some of what we saw.

Tea House

The highlight was the Tea House.

Hidden within the garden, the Tea House sat above the pond. A narrow path with stones leads over a tiny stream to the entrance. The sound of cascading water, the beautiful building and surrounds, it felt serene and sacred.

Inside, against the far wall, a lady was seated. A group of women had entered in front of us. They started a conversation and we realised this woman was here to point out and explain the features of the building. They all wished to include us, pointing and explaining in Japanese. Unfortunately, all we could do was smile a lot and bow our thanks.

 It was one of our first experiences of the kindness and politeness of Japanese people, something we were to come across daily.

Within this garden were many features, not necessarily outstanding on their own. But together they created a feeling that everything belonged, everything was there for a purpose. We then realised that this was fundamental to Japanese design – and by understanding that, we became part of this captivating garden.

From Teien Art Museum Garden we walked to Happo-en Garden. Our search for a park to sit and have lunch ended at the main entrance to Meiji Gakuin University.

Walking down the drive we found a table and seats under the trees. While we ate lunch, a man and his two young sons played baseball on the flat, grassed area below where we were sitting. It was an unexpected but lovely place for a picnic. I wish we had spent more time to walk through and look at the buildings and gardens.

Teien Art Museum Garden

Opening hours: 10.00 - 18.00 (10.00 - 16.30 October to March)

Admission costs: Adults Y200

Access: Closest stations

Shirokanedai Station (6 minutes walk)

Meguro Station (7 minutes walk)

For other gardens in Japan read Japanese Gardens to Visit

 

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