If you are going to find yourself in Tokyo for the first time it is only natural that you will arrive with certain preconception. What comes to mind when you hear the name “Tokyo?” Do you think of cutting edge electronics? Well, that is some thing you can certainly find at Akihabara. Maybe you think of Tokyo as Paris of the East. If so then you will love Harajuka. You might just have the idea that it is a huge sea of people and that it is. Somehow, though, they make room for their gardens. You can thank the Hindu and Taoism for that. The Japanese make room for nature and that has produced stunning gardens.
Before mentioning any specific garden it is best to think of the first view Westerners got of Japanese gardens and it came in a little pot. It is the Bonsai, a tree and landscape made in miniature. Like most things in Japanese culture it traces back to China before it was transplanted to Japan and became its own style. The lone tiny tree growing on a rocky outcrop can be seen throughout coastal Japan. You did not travel, however, 1000 of miles to see Bonsai.
Of all the gardens you might chose to see there is one you have to see. That would be the Tokyo Imperial Palace East Garden. It has all the grandeur you would expect from a palace and is one of the top gardens in the world. The flowering cherries in spring are a sight to behold and can not be missed in April. You also get a little bit of Japanese history as a bonus.
If you want to see the true skills of the Japanese gardeners then make sure to visit Shijuku Nation Gardens. This is where you will see East meets West. They were formally know as the Outer Palace Gardens but since the 1950′s has been open to the public. They have over 1700 plants on display so it is here where you can find a little bit of everything.
These are just two of the gardens Tokyo has to offer with many of them around shines to add to the beauty of the gardening. After your visit here you will not think of Tokyo as a sea of concrete again.