Happo-en’s Gardens

A Perfect Addition to Tokyo Itineraries

Today, we will be taking a look at something that can easily be added as a one-off to an existing itinerary. The site is known as Happo-en or “Garden of the Eight Views” due to the fact that it is breathtaking no matter which angle you look from. This multi-purpose space is one of Tokyo’s oldest and features trees that have deeper histories than many nations.

Happo-en is a quiet reprieve from the crowds and the heat and especially so during the summer months. The garden was founded by an adviser to the shogun during the Edo period (1603–1868) and has remained a place of respite ever since. Despite Happo-en’s rich antiquity, it is most well-known today for its restaurant, banquet hall, and chapel.

How to Get There

Happo-en is located on top of a hill in central Tokyo. The gardens can be easily reached from Shirokanedai Station. As such, the access can be pretty poor unless you happen to be staying on or near the Nanboku or Mita Lines however both of those two lines have some connections to JR trains. Happo-en is just a few minutes walk from the station. Alternatively, you can make the trek…