Let's soak up the sea breeze at the Tokugawa Shogun's Hama Palace ~ Hamarikyu Gardens

Hama-rikyu Gardens is a ``Hama-goten'' that is associated with the Tokugawa shogunate. Although it is now a metropolitan garden, during the Meiji period it was used as a villa for the imperial family and for diplomatic purposes. This time, let's take a stroll through the remains of the Tokugawa Shogunate's Hama Palace.

A specialty! The ``300-year-old pine'' is one of the largest black pine trees in Tokyo.

Hama Rikyu Gardens was originally the residence of the Kofu clan. In 1654 (Joo 3), Tokugawa Tsunashige, the lord of the Kofu domain, received this land from the Tokugawa shogunate. Later, Tokugawa Tsunatoyo, the son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, became the sixth shogun, Tokugawa Ienobu. As a result of this, the Kofu domain disappeared and became a fiefdom directly ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate. At the same time, this place became the ``Hama Goten'' of the Tokugawa shogunate. The famous ``300-year-old pine'' is said to have been planted by Tokugawa Ienobu at that time. It is also known as a power spot for longevity and prosperity due to the largest black pine tree in Tokyo and its vitality.

The skyscrapers of Shiodome stand out, but the vacant lot in the foreground is not just any vacant lot. This is a flower garden. In the spring, the Nanohana flowers turn everything yellow, and in the fall, the Yellow Cosmos colors everything in this vacant land. As for the green area, during the Edo period, there were many storehouses where rice and seeds were stored in case of famine. It is now a garden, but during the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate, it was an important facility, so much so that the Shogunate's gunpowder warehouse was also located here.

``Tide Pond'' where the Shogun enjoyed boating

The pond you see here is not a natural scene. It is an artificial pond called ``Oizumisui'' that was created by people. Because it is a pond that draws seawater from Tokyo Bay, it is called ``tidal pond.'' Four teahouses were built around this pond.

The teahouse in the middle of the pond is ``Nakajima no Chaya''. Nowadays, there is a bridge called Odenbashi, but in the Edo period there was no bridge, and the shogun used to travel by boat from Edo Castle to here and to Nakajima Chaya. There is also a story that Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, ate castella at this Nakajima teahouse.

In the Edo period, there were ``Matsu no Chaya'', ``Tsubame no Chaya'', and ``Taka no Chaya'' on the banks of ``Oizumisui''. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government recreated the ``Matsu no Ochaya'' in 2010 and the ``Tsubame no Ochaya'' in 2015, based on the materials of the ``Hama Goten'' from the time of the 11th shogun, Ienari Tokugawa. Then, in April 2018, ``Taka no Ochaya'' was restored.

By the way, since the pond is filled with seawater, the fish that live here are mullets, seigo, gobies, and other sea fish. You can also see crabs, crucian carp, and barnacles.

``Duck field'' where the general went duck hunting

``Kamoba'' is a place for duck hunting, and there are two within the garden: Koshindo Kamoba and Shinzenza Kamoba. In both cases, the pond and forest were surrounded by a bank of about 3 meters, and the pond was hidden from the outside by trees on the bank. This is so that the duck can rest in peace.

The photo above is Koshindo Kamoba, which was built in 1778. The photo below is a monitoring area for feeding the ducks gathered in the pond. There are ducks kept in the pond that were fed to catch the wild ducks off guard. At the appointed time, he would call the ducks by hitting them with a mallet and feed them with food from a bamboo tube.

Several waterways have been drawn into the pond, which is surrounded by secluded trees and appears safe for the ducks. That is Hikibori. There is a secluded pond at the back of the moat where the ducks feel safe. And when the ducks kept as otori are notified with a mallet of feeding time, the wild ducks will also follow. At that time, the ducks are scooped up with nets from both sides of the bank. The duck escaped from the net and was shot with an arrow.

The shogun's private pier "Shogun's arrival place"

At the end of the Edo period, the Tokugawa Shogunate's Hama Palace house was home to the Shogunate's naval training camp. The person in charge is Kaishu Katsu. Ryoma Sakamoto, who became Kaishu Katsu's disciple, also joined the staff. And then there is the ``Shogun's Arrival Place'', which was a pier exclusively for the Tokugawa Shogun. When the general boarded a warship, he always took a boat from here and boarded the warship anchored offshore.

We also took a boat here when disembarking from the warship. The 15th shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, who was defeated in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, also landed here. It is said that Kaishu Katsu was called here to meet Prince Yoshinobu and was entrusted with everything from then on. It is said that Toshizo Hijikata and others of the Shinsengumi also boarded the warships of the Tokugawa shogunate and disembarked here.

How was it?

After the Tokugawa shogunate disappeared with the Meiji era, this place became a villa for the imperial family. It is said that Emperor Meiji welcomed facilities from other countries here to conduct diplomacy. Although Hamarikyu was reduced to ashes by the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Great Tokyo Air Raid, only the ``300-year-old pine tree'' still remains as it was in the Edo period. Why not feel the sea breeze at the place where the Tokugawa Shoguns of old came to cool off?

INFORMATION