Sankeien Garden
三溪園
A 17-hectare garden in Yokohama containing historic buildings relocated from Kyoto and Kamakura, including a 1457 three-story pagoda from a Kyoto temple
About Sankeien Garden
Sankeien Garden is a traditional Japanese stroll garden in southern Yokohama, opened in 1906 by the silk merchant and art collector Tomitaro Hara, who used the pen name Sankei. The garden contains 10 buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties, including historic structures relocated from Kyoto, Kamakura, and other parts of Japan to create a concentrated showcase of traditional architecture within a designed landscape. The most prominent structure is a three-story pagoda from Tomyoji Temple in Kyoto, built in 1457 and relocated here in 1914. It stands on a hillside above the main pond and is visible from most parts of the garden. Other relocated buildings include a farmhouse from Gifu Prefecture, a teahouse from Kyoto's Fushimi Momoyama Castle, and a gate from a Wakayama shrine. The inner garden (Naien) is more formally designed with manicured shapes and the pagoda as its focus; the outer garden (Gaien) is more naturalistic and covers the remaining hillside and woodland area. The garden is best in cherry blossom season (late March) and autumn foliage (November) but is significantly less crowded than comparable gardens in Kyoto.
Essential Tips
Bus 8 or 148 from Sakuragicho Station to Honmoku Sankeien-mae stop: about 20 minutes, ¥220. Taxis from Sakuragicho run ¥1,200-1,500
The three-story pagoda (1457) is the key landmark. Walk the inner pond circuit first, then climb to the pagoda viewpoint for the best overview of the garden
Cherry blossom (late March) and autumn foliage (November) are the best seasons. This garden has fewer crowds than comparable Kyoto or Tokyo parks even at peak times
10 Important Cultural Properties are in the garden; pick up the English map at the entrance gate to identify which buildings are which
The garden is in southern Yokohama (Honmoku), away from the waterfront tourist circuit. It is worth the 20-minute bus ride if you have a full Yokohama day; skip it if you only have 4 hours in the city
Closed December 29-31 only. Open every other day of the year including national holidays
Don't Miss
Tomyoji Three-Story Pagoda (1457)
The garden's most visible structure is a three-story pagoda originally built in 1457 for Tomyoji Temple in Kyoto's Fushimi district. It was relocated to Sankeien in 1914 and now stands on a hillside above the inner garden's main pond, visible from the main path below. The pagoda is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The view from the main pond with the pagoda reflected in the water and surrounded by cherry trees (late March) or autumn foliage (November) is the garden's most recognized image.
Cherry Blossom Season
About 300 cherry trees are distributed through the garden, with the highest concentration around the inner garden pond and the path leading to the pagoda. The combination of the pagoda, the pond, and cherry blossoms in late March is a scene rarely available to see in Yokohama. The garden opens early in cherry blossom season and sometimes runs evening illuminations. Crowds here are manageable compared to city parks; you can actually sit on the grass.
Relocated Historic Buildings
Beyond the pagoda, the garden contains buildings brought from Kyoto, Wakayama, Gifu, and Kamakura. The Rinshunkaku (a villa from the Tokugawa family's garden), the Choshukaku (a teahouse from Fushimi Momoyama Castle), and a traditional thatched-roof farmhouse from Shirakawa-go style are among the most significant. Many have informational plaques in English. Walking from building to building across the garden provides an informal survey of Japanese architectural styles from the 15th to 18th centuries.
What to Do Here
Full Garden Circuit
Enter through the main gate and buy your ticket. Take the main path clockwise around the inner garden pond, stopping at the main buildings. Climb to the pagoda viewpoint on the hillside (10-minute walk up a gentle slope). Continue through the outer garden and the thatched farmhouse area. Return along the wooded outer circuit to the exit.
Tips:
- The pagoda viewpoint gives the best overview of the garden and the Yokohama Bay in the distance on clear days
- The inner garden (Naien) is the most photogenic section; the outer garden (Gaien) is more of a woodland walk
- The garden has a tea house that serves matcha (¥500-700) near the main entrance building
- Allow more time in autumn and cherry blossom season when the foliage slows down walking pace naturally
Plan Your Visit
Opening Hours
general
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)
closed Days
December 29-31
Best Time to Visit
Late March to early April for cherry blossoms (approximately 300 trees). November for autumn foliage. Any weekday for low crowds; this garden is far less visited than Kenroku-en or Shinjuku Gyoen.
Avoid:
Cherry blossom peak weekends (late March to early April). Even then, crowds here are modest compared to central Tokyo or Kyoto gardens.
Nearby
Yokohama Chinatown
Japan's largest Chinatown, 200+ restaurants. 15 minutes by bus back toward the city.
3 km
Yamashita Park
Waterfront park with Hikawa Maru historic ship. 15 minutes by bus.
3 km
Sakuragicho Station
Main transport hub for south Yokohama. 20 minutes by bus (Bus 8 or 148).
5 km
History
founding
Sankeien Garden was created by Tomitaro Hara (1868-1939), a wealthy silk merchant from Yokohama who made his fortune trading with Europe and America during the Meiji period. Using his collection income, Hara began acquiring historic buildings from regions throughout Japan and relocating them to his Honmoku estate, landscaping the grounds as a traditional stroll garden around them. The garden opened to the public in 1906 and continued to grow through the 1920s. After Hara's death, the garden passed to the city and was restored after damage in World War II bombing raids.
significance
Sankeien is unusual in the history of Japanese gardens because it was created not to express the taste of a feudal lord or religious institution but by a private merchant during the Meiji modernization era. The collection of relocated historic buildings represents one of the earliest efforts at private preservation of traditional architecture in Japan. Ten structures are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
name Origin
Sankeien (三溪園) takes its name from Tomitaro Hara's pen name, Sankei (三溪, meaning 'three valleys'), which referred to the three valleys of water that shaped the garden's topography. The -en (園) suffix means garden.
Getting There
Bus from Sakuragicho Station
Station: Sakuragicho Station (JR Negishi Line / Minato Mirai Line)
Exit: East exit bus terminal
Walk: 3 minutes from Honmoku Sankeien-mae bus stop to garden gate
Bus 8 (bound for Honmoku) or Bus 148 from Sakuragicho Station east exit bus terminal. Journey about 20 minutes. The bus runs every 10-15 minutes on weekdays and every 20-30 minutes on weekends. Get off at Honmoku Sankeien-mae (last 3 kanji match the garden's name).
Taxi from Sakuragicho Station
Station: Sakuragicho Station
Exit:
Walk: Direct to garden gate
Useful if the bus schedule is inconvenient or if traveling with young children. Taxis are available at the station rank.
Location
58-1 Honmoku Sannotani, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0824
Nearest: Sakuragicho Station (JR Negishi Line / Minato Mirai Line) (20 minutes by bus from Sakuragicho Station to Honmoku Sankeien-mae bus stop)
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