When you think of traditional Japanese gardens and culture, many people tend to think of Kyoto. However, Tokyo also offers many attractions for those who enjoy experiencing the richness of traditional Japanese culture amid a modern city. Many of these gardens were constructed during the era of the shoguns as hunting grounds.
Hamarikyu Gardens is one of the largest gardens built by aristocrats of Japan, at 250,000 square meters. The garden is well-known for its distinct style from the Edo era, as well as the plum blossoms that bloom and change along with the seasons in late February and early March.
Located alongside the Tokyo Bay, Hamarikyu Gardens is a 5-minute walk from Exit 10 of Shiodome Station. The garden is open from 9:00am to 17:00pm. When you get tired of wandering around the gardens, or simply decide that it is time for a meal, rest assured that the area has a variety of restaurants to choose from.
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Located only a 5-minute walk away from Shimbashi Station, the Gimpei Ginza location offers guests delicious Japanese traditional seafood dishes and nabe (hot pot) in a traditional Japanese atmosphere. For lunch, indulge in gozen, the high-class version of teishoku from 1,620 JPY. Dinners are truly a special treat; a basic course meal starts from 16,500 JPY and includes everything from fish, rice, soba noodles, to A5 Kumano beef. The restaurant is open from 11:00AM to 15:00 PM for lunch and 17:00 to 23:00 for dinner service Monday through Saturdays. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and National holidays.
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Hanadaikon is only a 2 minute walk from the B3 exit of Ginza Station. If you’re craving meat, this is the place to go. Hanadaikon offers meat and rice boxes for lunch starting from 1,280 JPY for the grilled Wagyu beef sashimi. Dinner course meals typically include shabu-shabu or sukiyaki and start from 4,900 JPY. Hanadaikon is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11:30AM to 15:00PM and reopens for dinner service starting at 17:30PM and closes at 22:30PM. Lunch time is limited to 50 guests each day.
On weekends and public holidays, the restaurant is open between 11:30AM to 16:00PM (with the last order taken at 15:00PM) for lunch service. The restaurant is open from 17:30 PM to 22:30 PM. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
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If you are in the mood for traditional Japanese sweets after your meal, the Nakajima Tea House (Nakajima No Ocha-ya) is worth a visit. This 1704 tea house, which sits on the island in the middle of the pond in Hamarikyu Gardens, allows visitors to experience a taste of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and enjoy a cup of matcha (green tea) and a wagashi (Japanese sweet) for 520 JPY. The tea house is open from 9:00 AM to 17:00 PM Mondays through Fridays.
Due to recent construction, Nakajima has been closed since February but is scheduled to re-open from April. Openrice is unable to confirm the exact date of re-opening.