Gardens in Japan, written in Japanese
6 gardens across 5 prefectures, each with the kanji, the kana reading and a card you can print or save to your phone before you travel.
Historic gardens close earlier than you expect — many stop admitting visitors at 16:30 — and the taxi drop-off is at the ticket gate rather than the nearest point on the map.
| Kanji | Kana | English | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 兼六園 | けんろくえん | Kenroku-en | Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture |
| 新宿御苑 | しんじゅくぎょえん | Shinjuku Gyoen | Sendagaya, Tokyo |
| 後楽園 | こうらくえん | Kōraku-en | Kita-ku, Okayama Prefecture |
| 浜離宮恩賜庭園 | はまりきゅうおんしていえん | Hamarikyu Gardens | Hamarikyū-Teien, Tokyo |
| 偕楽園 | かいらくえん | Kairaku-en | Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| 栗林公園 | りつりんこうえん | Ritsurin Garden | Ritsurinchō, Kagawa Prefecture |
Frequently asked questions
How do I ask a taxi for a Japanese garden?
Historic gardens close earlier than you expect — many stop admitting visitors at 16:30 — and the taxi drop-off is at the ticket gate rather than the nearest point on the map.
Do these names work outside a taxi?
Yes. The same card works at a station information desk, a hotel front desk or a police box (交番). The Japanese characters are the part that communicates; the English and romaji on the card are only there so you know what you are showing.