Sankei-en Garden

A traditional Japanese-style garden, Sankeien, opened in 1906, is a peaceful haven inside the bustling city of Yokohama.

Designed by silk-trader Tomitaro Hara, the park is filled with historical structures moved from locations  across Japan including Wakayama, Gifu and Kyoto.Despite damage in WW2, the garden was donated to the government in 1953 and restored to its pre-war condition. The garden is large, with ponds, streams, pagodas and excellent cherry and plum blossoms in spring.

The garden has two areas: the inner and outer garden, both of which contain different structures and focal points. The outer garden has the well-known pagoda from Tomyoji, a Butsuden from the main hall of Rinzai Zen Temple and the Yanohara House.

In the inner garden, which was originally the private garden of the Hara family, you can see some of the most beautiful pieces. The Rinshunkaku was originally the summer home of the Tokugawa Yorinobu and is considered equal in beauty to the Katsura Imperial Villa of Kyoto. Another must-see is the Tenji-in which was moved from the Kencho-ji Zen Temple in 1914.