Higo Hosokawa Garden in Photos
Higo Hosokawa Garden is an excellent place in spring and autumn. With its flowers and trees, nature photographers should find it interesting. It is also pretty enough to enjoy your bento at lunchtime! And nearby are some photo spots that add more value. It is a great Tokyo photo spot.
It is small, with a carp-filled pond dominating its center. A tree-covered hill is on one side, and a lawn is on another. Winding paths circle the area. A few stone lanterns and a pagoda dot the grounds.
It is a great place, especially for lunch. You can’t have a barbeque, but there are benches where you can enjoy a bento. Many people eat on them on bright sunny days. And if you are lucky, there might even be a couple in kimonos, having their wedding photographs taken.
There is a house/administration office on the grounds. You can enter it, but it doesn’t contain much of interest. Most people visit it to use the toilets and drink machines. On the hill above the park is Eisei Bunko Museum. It houses an art collection from the Hosokawa family.
A Brief History of Higo Hosokawa
At the beginning of the Edo period, Higo Hosokawa was home to one of the Shogunate’s retainers. The Shimizu family at some point took it over. After them was the Hitotsubashi family and then the Hosokawa.
In the post-war period, ownership changed several times. In 1961, it became a metropolitan park. Bunkyo Ward took over its administration in 1975.
What can you photograph at Higo Hosokawa?
- There are lots of flowers and trees.
- In spring, plum blossoms and cherry blossoms.
- Autumn leaves.
- The park practices yukitsuri, a rope technique that protects trees from snow. You can see it on the pine trees in the colder winter months.
Where is the garden?
Address: 1-1-22 Mejirodai, Bunkyo City, Tokyo
Here it is on a Google map:
Closest train station:
Edogawabashi on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line.
Opening hours
- February to October 9 AM to 5 PM
- November to January 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Closed December 28 to January 4
Admission costs
None
Admin Office Telephone number
03-3941-2010
Conclusion
If you want something different for nature photography in Tokyo, Higo Hosokawa might be for you. Go there in spring or autumn with your camera. It’s not huge, but it should have enough to keep you occupied for quite a while. Plus there is a lot nearby to keep you and your camera busy. Make sure to rug up if you go in winter!

Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and okonomiyaki. His camera will capture the entire city one day.
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External related website:
- Higo Hosokawa (official website)