Sankeien Garden


Lake at the Sankeien Garden
Photo by: Arisdp, Creative Commons

At the heart of Yokohama City near Honmoku Sannotani, you will find the fabulous Sankeien Garden. This must-see delight combines the beauty of nature and art, just a short bus trip from the Yokohama Station, is not to be missed!

Donated


Donated to the city of Yokohama in 1953 by the Hara Family, Sankeien Garden has an interesting history dating back to the earlier part of the 20th Century. Originally, the garden was owned by Mr. Tomitaro Hara who was a successful and energetic silk exporter in the port town of Yokohama during the Meiji Period, from 1868 to 1912. Upon his retirement in 1912, Mr. Hara decided to create a beautiful garden for his own enjoyment.

Mr. Hara’s garden became known as Sankeien Garden because Mr. Hara was also a writer who used the nom de plume, Sankei. The Japanese word for “garden” is EN. By combining Mr. Hara’s pen-name and this common Japanese word, the title Sankeien was created.

After establishing his garden, as the years went by, Mr. Hara decided to open the garden to young artists. He made it his mission in life to support the progress and growth of Japanese Art.

After some time, the generous Mr. Hara decided to open his garden even further to include the general public. Thanks to Mr. Hara’s kindness and generosity, people from far and wide are able to enjoy the beauty of fabulous Sankeien Garden and all of its appeals to the senses with the changing of each season.

Exhibits


Today, visitors can enjoy a number of interesting and exciting flower exhibitions at Sankeien Garden. One notable exhibition takes place in the summertime. This is the Satsuki Flower Exhibition which is held in the month of June.

The Satsuki is an especially gorgeous member of the Azalea family which was developed during Japan’s Edo Period spanning the years 1603 through 1867. During the annual Satsuki Flower Exhibition, visitors can enjoy viewing a gorgeous display of Satsuki Azaleas potted in the Bonsai style.

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