The Hamarikyu Gardens are found in the middle of Chuo City, which is like the downtown Manhattan of Tokyo. In 1946, this garden was built to highlight the history of Edo (the old name of Tokyo) and the military leaders of the country, the Tokugawa family. The Tokugawa family used this place to unwind and relax in nature.
I visited an event here at the Hamarikyu! The event celebrated the 150 years of Tokyo changing its name from Edo in 1868.
During my visit to the Hamarikyu Gardens, I learned about the right way to drink Japanese tea, how to connect with nature, and the importance of the connection between nature and the people of Japan.
Japanese culture is very focused on nature. It is traditional for people to visit gardens such as Hamarikyu Gardens to disconnect from the industrial parts of the city and remember that they are one with the environment.
People come to Hamarikyu to listen to the water running into the Tokyo Bay, see the fish swim in the ponds, feel the wind breezing through the trees, climb the hills, and even enjoy tea - the same way the shogun would have done in the old days.
