Spring is here! It's perfect weather for an outing! I suddenly felt the urge to get out and explore, so this is the second stop on my impromptu solo Tokyo adventure. This time, let me introduce "Koishikawa Botanical Garden," quietly nestled in a residential neighborhood in Bunkyo Ward.
By the way, don’t confuse it with the nearby "Koishikawa Korakuen," which is a completely different facility. Korakuen is a full-fledged Japanese garden managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. I’d love to visit there another time.
If I were to sum up Koishikawa Botanical Garden in one phrase, it would be a "quiet and tranquil botanical garden."
But actually, it's officially an affiliated facility of the University of Tokyo—in other words, a 'research institute.' Even more impressively, its roots go back over 300 years to the Edo Period, when it was originally established as the ‘Koishikawa Medicinal Herb Garden’ for the study and management of medicinal plants. It's the oldest botanical garden in Japan, and even today, it feels more like a university annex than a typical city park. Walking its grounds, it doesn't just feel like a garden or park—it's got a real "campus" vibe. As I strolled along, I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic for my own school days.
(Of course, I never attended a prestigious place like the University of Tokyo! Still, even high school had its own unique "atmosphere." That’s the kind of feeling you get here.)
Of course, most botanical gardens around the world also carry out research. But here, you can feel that research is the primary purpose; you sense it in how the plants are displayed. There is a certain “unpolished authenticity” in the way everything is presented.
They also had posters for the TV drama "Ranman"—this place goes all out in celebrating Tomitaro Makino, who was closely connected to the garden. If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Makino, I’ve written another detailed article. Please check it out, too!
As usual, my main target is the greenhouse, so I headed straight for it. Honestly, I explored less than 20% of the garden, so apologizing in advance for claiming to "introduce" Koishikawa Botanical Garden when I’ve only scratched the surface!
This bright, beautiful greenhouse! Do you notice something truly unique compared to other botanical gardens? That is, every single plant here is grown in a pot. Because they’re cultivated for research purposes, the plants can be moved or rearranged as needed—they aren’t planted directly in the ground (though there is a ground-planted area in the cool conservatory).
They’re big and hard to miss, but what stood out most upon entering the greenhouse were the Euphorbias.
This greenhouse manages a lot of orchids, but within that category, I spotted a large gathering of Hoyas. It was probably my first time seeing so many Hoyas in one place! Some were even in bloom, letting me admire their unique flowers up close.
Since one of the garden’s main goals is to research Japanese native plants, there are many Sedum species on display. The sheer diversity was eye-opening, and seeing wild-type (non-variegated) @Sedum oryzifolium, which is rare in horticulture, was a real treat!
There weren’t tons, but I also spotted some South African representatives like Haworthia and Kalanchoe. There were plenty of Tillandsia too, but since I couldn’t spot their plant tags (I mean, come on, it’s a research greenhouse—they must have tags, right?), I didn’t manage to get photos.
In the cool conservatory, I also found alpine species like Hylotelephium cauticola and Rhodiola 'Iwabenkai' on display.
The nearest station is Myogadani Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, but since it’s quite a walk, taking the Toei Bus Akihabara 26 line to "Shirakawa 2-chome" might be best (especially on the way back from Myogadani—the uphill walk is pretty tough…). Buses run from Akihabara, Kanda, Kasai stations and more.
Last time I visited Shinjuku Gyoen—it’s right in the city center, vast, and meticulously maintained for show, so the whole place feels glamorous. By contrast, Koishikawa Botanical Garden and its plants and grounds don’t shout for attention—they’re just quietly there, cherished consistently and calmly by the local community.
By the way, this isn’t just a themed series—I really did visit Koishikawa right after Shinjuku Gyoen! Two gardens before lunchtime. If you time it right, it only takes about 30 minutes to get from one to the other, so easy to do both. Why not plan your own “botanical garden hopping” day out?
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