Come to a garden for peace and meditative thought. You will find a landscape in miniature, with mountains, lakes represented in miniature. Forests are made from planted trees, and dry stream beds signify a raging river. Every item is carefully placed within the gardens to imitate nature. The balance of life is represented by placing opposites, like using light and dark.

Hama Rikyu

One of Tokyo's most interesting landscape gardens is located near the Tokyo Bay by the urban Shiodome district. Seawater ponds that ebb and flow with the tide, a calm forest area, and a teahouse on an island are some the park's most popular features. The park is surrounded by water on three sides, with elegant bridges to wander over, but it is located near a busy expressway. Still, the contrast between the traditional gardens with the shiny, chrome and steel skyscrapers is pleasant. The park charges a small admission and is open everyday except for the New Year.

Rikugien

Here is a wonderful place that encourages quiet strolling or come to watch the birds. A landscape garden done in the traditional Japanese style, Rikugien, which means six poems garden, was built around 1700. Broken up into 88 themes, the gardens try to reproduce scenes from famous haiku, a short traditional poem said in one breathe. The garden is spacious with a central pond, islands, forested areas, man-made hills and several teahouses. It takes over an hour to walk through. Rikugien also charges admission and is open most days except New Years.