December 21, 2020
Bureau of Construction

Completion of the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens Kara-mon Gate

The Bureau of Construction has been working on restoration and development projects for buildings lost due to earthquakes and wars in cultural property gardens, such as the Hama-rikyu Gardens, since 2004.
The restoration work of Kara-mon Gate at Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens (special historic site/place of special scenic beauty) that began in March 2019 has been completed.

Kara-mon Gate open to the public

• Open
  From Saturday December 19, 2020
• Method
  Visitors can view the external appearance of the gate which is generally kept closed to protect the structure.
  In the event of a special occasion, the gate will be opened, allowing passage.

* The East Gate of the Gardens will open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, to allow the public access to the Kara-mon Gate.

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens and Kara-mon Gate

Construction of the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens was begun at the residence (later main residence) in Edo (Tokyo) of Tokugawa Yorifusa, the first head of the Mito branch of the Tokugawa clan in the early Edo Era. The gardens were completed under the reign of the second head Mito Mitsukuni. It is a strolling garden centered around a pond, reflecting the preference for the Chinese aesthetic, with landscapes replicating famous sites in China, in accordance with the opinions of Zhu Zhiyu, a scholar of Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty.
The Kara-mon Gate is an official entrance from the study of the house through the inner court to Korakuen Gardens. It is supported on both sides by the Sodebei and side walls. The Gate was burnt down in an air raid in 1945, and only the foundation of the gate, stone steps and the stone masonry were left.

Outline of Kara-mon Gate (Kara-mon & Sodebei walls)

Wooden structure with kawara tile roofing
Kara-mon: Area: 5.49 m2,  Height: 4.24 m
Sodebei walls: Area: 8.57 m2, Height: 2.52 m, Length: 11.77 m

Kara-mon Gate before burning down (photographed in 1938)
Property of Tokyo Green Archives, Midori-no-toshokan

Map

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

• Address
  1-6-6 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku
• Access
  • West Gate
    8-minute walk from JR Suidobashi Station (West Exit) or Iidabashi Station (East Exit)
    3-minute walk from Toei Subway Oedo Line Iidabashi Station (Exit C3)
    8-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Tozai Line/Nanboku Line/Yurakucho Line Iidabashi Station (Exit A1)
    8-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line/Nanboku Line Korakuen Station (Exit No.1)
  • East Gate
    * Please check the opening days.
    5-minute walk from JR Suidobashi Station (West Exit)
    8-minute walk from Toei Subway Mita Line Suidobashi Station (Exit A2)
  • * There is no onsite parking.
• Open hours
  9:00 to 17:00 (Last admission: 16:30)
• Admission fees
  General: 300 yen People age 65 or older: 150 yen
  * Elementary school-aged students and younger and junior high school students who live or study in Tokyo: Free of charge
• For inquiries
  Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens Service Center  Tel: 03-3811-3015
• Website
  Let’s go to the gardens!  Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens(External link)
• Official twitter
  Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens @KorakuenGarden(External link)

Requests

Please comply with the following COVID-19 protocol.

• Refrain from visiting the Gardens if you feel unwell.
• Avoid busy hours (11:00 to 14:00) when you visit.
• Disinfect hands as you enter the Gardens and frequently wash your hands.
• Keep an adequate distance (2 m or more) from others.
• Wear a mask.
• Make room for other visitors during peak hours.
• We ask visitors to register on the COVID-19 Contact-Confirming Application (COCOA).

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