Tonogayato Garden in Kokubunji, Tokyo

In Tokyo there are several gardens founded or protected by the Iwasaki family, the Mitsubishi combine "Zaibatsu": Rikugi-en Garden, Kiyosumi Garden, Former Iwasaki Residence Garden...

This "Tonogayato Garden" is one of them.

This garden is located near JR Kokubunji station. In spite of being in the bustle of big cities, the garden is filled with stillness.

It is a strool garden composed of a mixed Japanese-Western style.

On the upper terrace of the garden in front of the entrance, you see Western-style garden with a spacious lawn garden surrounded by big trees.

(above: Old detached residence of the Iwasaki family)

On the right-hand side of the garden, there is a path going downhill.

The Bamboo grove along the path is beautiful.

The lower part of the garden is a Japanese-style garden with a pond of spring water as the central point of focus.

This area has abundant spring water and the garden was created by making good use of such surroundings.

(above: The source of spring water)

(above: Stepping stones laid in the pond)

(above: Water basin)

There is a waterfall and looking up, there is a tasteful tea-ceremony house called "Koyo-tei" that means "red leaves of autumn".

Since the garden is covered with a lot of Japanese maple trees, the tinted leaves in autumn enrich the scene of the garden, further.

It is said that this garden faced a crisis in 1960's because of the development plan of the surrounding areas. However the neighborhood protest movement protected the garden.

As the result, this place was purchased by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and it was opened as a metropolitan garden.

Then it was registered as a National Cultural Heritage Garden in 2011.

I appreciate the action by the residents.

※　for further information:

http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/contents/index036.html