While there are countless parks and gardens within central Tokyo, the tranquility offered by the historic Hamarikyu Onshi Garden is unique. This haven of greenery originated in 1654 when the younger brother of the fourth shogun was presented with an expanse of reedy land that had been used as falconry ground.

The land was reclaimed from the sea and a villa was built; through the years, the grounds have been landscaped to create a fusion of formal gardens with remnants of the former marshland. The villa was dubbed Hamarikyu; literally, "villa on the beach." After the Second World War, the site was presented to the city by the imperial family and opened to the public.

Today, the extensive Hamarikyu Onshi Garden includes a tidal pond and two duck-hunting areas typical of a feudal lord's garden. The tidal pond, constantly changing with the ebb and flow of the tides, was a common feature of Edo-period seaside gardens, and is now the only extant example of such ponds in Tokyo.

The areas formerly used for duck hunting are thick with weeds that welcome myriad wildfowl. Hamarikyu also comprises a grove of plum trees and various gardens where flowers bloom in every season, including rape blossoms, peonies, crepe myrtle and cosmos. Tokyo's new Shiodome Shiosite, a high-rise office and retail complex, creates a modern backdrop to the gardens.

(Photo Credit: Sekai Bunka Photo)