Kyu-Furukawa Gardens guide: history, hidden spots and events nearby

Kyu-Furukawa Gardens combines a Western mansion and formal garden designed by British architect Josiah Conder with a Japanese strolling garden created by Kyoto landscape master Ogawa Jihei VII. The Western landscape dates to 1917 and the Japanese garden was completed in 1919, with both arranged across the natural slope and lower ground of the Musashino upland. Opened to the public on April 30, 1956, the grounds were designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty on January 26, 2006.

Kyochika's tips

• Kyochika recommends Kyu-Furukawa Gardens to travelers interested in architecture, landscape design, roses, and the relationship between Western and Japanese aesthetics in modern Japan. Begin near the elevated mansion, descend through the formal Western garden, and then continue into the Japanese strolling garden to appreciate how the designers used the natural terrain.
• Spring offers roses and other flowering plants, while autumn brings another rose season and changing foliage. We suggest spending time in both sections rather than focusing only on the mansion, because the relationship between the Western terrace, wooded slope, and Japanese pond is central to the site's significance.

Visiting info

Checked on 2026-11-03 against the official pages. Hours and fees can change; please check before you go.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Official Kyu-Furukawa Gardens Information / Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - English Historical Outline / GO TOKYO - Kyu-Furukawa Gardens

Why were an English-style mansion and a Japanese garden built on the same hillside?

Kyu-Furukawa Gardens occupies a landscape where the Musashino upland descends toward lower ground. The designers made this geographical feature the foundation of the estate. The Western-style mansion stands on the northern elevated area, the formal Western garden occupies the slope, and the Japanese strolling garden stretches across the lower level. The three-dimensional arrangement allows visitors to encounter contrasting styles as they move through the property. Rather than treating the buildings and gardens as unrelated attractions, the historical composition uses their positions to connect architecture with the natural terrain.

The land was formerly associated with Mutsu Munemitsu, a prominent political figure of the Meiji period. After his second son became an adopted member of the Furukawa family, the property passed to that household. The present Western mansion and garden were designed by British architect Josiah Conder, who lived from 1852 to 1920. Conder also designed the Rokumeikan, the Nikolai Cathedral, and the Western residence at Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens. The Western-style mansion and garden were completed in 1917 as part of the estate associated with the Furukawa family. The earlier buildings from Mutsu Munemitsu's period no longer survive.

The Japanese garden was designed by Ogawa Jihei VII, also known as Ueji, who lived from 1860 to 1933. His other projects included Murin-an, the garden of Heian Shrine, and Maruyama Park in Kyoto. The Japanese garden at Kyu-Furukawa was completed in 1919, bringing a different approach to landscape composition into direct contact with Conder's Western design. The formal Western garden combines symmetrical French-style clipped planting with Italian-style terraced techniques, stone balustrades, steps, and water basins. By contrast, the Japanese landscape centers on Shinjiike Pond and includes stone arrangements, waterfalls, and wooded scenery.

After World War II, ownership of the property passed to the national government. Tokyo later borrowed the grounds without charge and opened them to the public on April 30, 1956, taking local requests into consideration. The garden was designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty on January 26, 2006, because of its historical value and the exceptional preservation of its early modern landscape composition. The mansion and tea house are managed separately by the Otani Art Museum, while the public gardens operate through Tokyo's metropolitan park system. So when you visit, look for the relationship between the elevated mansion, the geometric Western planting, the wooded transition, and the Japanese pond at the bottom of the slope.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Official Garden Information / Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - English Historical Outline / National Scenic Gardens Association - Kyu-Furukawa Garden

What stood on this hillside before the Furukawa mansion?

The sources examined do not identify a particular building on the exact site approximately 1,200 years ago. The historical landscape can be described geographically, however: the land occupies an elevated portion of the Musashino upland and the adjoining slope and lowland. These features later became the foundation of the modern gardens. No specific ancient residence, temple, or settlement was verified for the exact location, so assigning such a structure to the site would be speculative.

The sources also do not establish a specific building on this exact site approximately 400 years ago. By the Meiji period, however, the property was associated with Mutsu Munemitsu, before ownership passed to the Furukawa family through the adoption of Mutsu's second son. The buildings standing during Mutsu's ownership have not survived. The present landscape reflects the later development of the Furukawa estate, with the Western garden constructed in 1917 and the Japanese garden completed in 1919.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Official Garden History / Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - English Historical Outline

The British architect who helped transform modern Japanese architecture

Josiah Conder's work at Kyu-Furukawa Gardens was part of a wider contribution to modern Japanese architecture. The Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association identifies the Rokumeikan, Nikolai Cathedral, and Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Western residence among his important designs. At the Furukawa estate, Conder did not simply design a building and leave its surroundings to chance. He also designed the Western garden, integrating terraces, stone structures, planting, and architecture.

The garden's geographical arrangement is especially revealing. The residence stands above the Western garden, which occupies the natural slope. This creates a direct relationship between the architecture and the landscape. Kyochika suggests viewing the mansion from different levels of the terrace to appreciate Conder's treatment of the entire site rather than only the exterior walls.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Official Garden History

How did Kyoto garden traditions reach a Tokyo industrial estate?

Ogawa Jihei VII, also known as Ueji, was a Kyoto landscape designer responsible for several major gardens, including Murin-an and Heian Shrine's garden. His work at Kyu-Furukawa placed a Japanese strolling garden below Conder's Western composition. Rather than repeating the symmetry of the formal terrace, the Japanese garden uses a pond, rocks, waterfalls, vegetation, and changing viewpoints.

The collaboration resulted in a landscape that preserves different artistic approaches within a single estate. The National Scenic Gardens Association identifies the relationship between traditional techniques, modern methods, and the site's natural topography as a defining feature. Visitors can experience that relationship directly by moving from the terrace into the lower garden and observing how the arrangement of space changes.

Sources: National Scenic Gardens Association - Kyu-Furukawa Garden / Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Garden History

Getting there by taxi or bus

🚕 Taxi

• Use Kyu-Furukawa Gardens, 1-27-39 Nishigahara, Kita City, Tokyo, as the destination. The garden does not provide a public visitor parking lot.

🚌 Bus

• Kyu-Furukawa Teien (旧古河庭園), served by the Kita City Community Bus. The stop is immediately near the garden. The official garden website states that weekday and holiday routes and timetables differ.

Other ways to get around

• Kami-Nakazato Station and Nishigahara Station are each a 7-minute walk. Komagome Station is a 12-minute walk, and Asukayama tram stop is an 18-minute walk.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Access and Visitor Information

How to walk it

1. Western Mansion Exterior Begin with the building on the elevated northern section and observe its position above the garden. 10
2. Upper Western Garden Study the symmetrical planting, terrace layout, and relationship between the mansion and the formal beds. 10
3. Lower Western Terrace Look back toward the mansion to compare the garden's composition from a lower viewpoint. 10
4. Miyama no Sakai Observe the transition into denser planting and a more wooded landscape. 5
5. Shinjiike Pond Follow permitted paths and examine the island, lantern, stone arrangements, and dry waterfall. 15
6. Otaki and Karetaki Compare the constructed flowing waterfall and the dry stone representation of falling water. 10
7. Tea Garden Area View the tea garden from permitted paths. Entry to the tea house itself is subject to separate arrangements. 5

All durations are Kyochika estimates, not official walking times. The suggested garden walk takes approximately 65 minutes, excluding a mansion interior tour or tea service. The grounds contain slopes and stairs; visitors with mobility needs should use the official barrier-free map.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Garden Layout and Visitor Information

Best seasons

Pair it with

• Rikugien Gardens The official combined admission ticket makes it possible to compare the Furukawa estate's Western and Japanese composition with another historic Tokyo garden. None
• Komagome Station Combine the garden with a walk through the surrounding neighborhood, using the JR Yamanote Line for access. 12
• Asukayama Tram Stop Use the Tokyo Sakura Tram as an alternative approach to the garden and explore the surrounding district. 18

Hidden highlights

The Western Garden's Formal Geometry

Conder combined symmetrical French-style clipped planting with Italian terraced-garden techniques. Look for the structured beds, stone balustrades, steps, and water basins that connect the mansion to the slope.

Shinjiike Pond

This pond forms the center of Ogawa Jihei's Japanese garden and takes its name from a shape associated with the character meaning heart. Its surroundings include stone compositions, an island, a snow-viewing lantern, and a dry waterfall.

Karetaki Dry Waterfall

A dry landscape feature uses stones rather than flowing water to represent a waterfall. The official garden guide identifies granite, blue stone, and rounded stones in its construction.

Otaki Waterfall

The waterfall descends through an artificially shaped wooded ravine. Its water supply, formerly dependent on a well, now uses a circulation system combining well water and pond water.

The Tea Garden

The tea house stands within a garden separated by a gate and distinctive stonework. The official garden guide states that matcha is served during spring and autumn and that tea-house entry is restricted to customers using the tea service.

Miyama no Sakai

The entrance to the Japanese garden uses dense planting, especially evergreen trees, to create a transition from the formal Western garden to a wooded landscape. Observe the change in planting and terrain as you enter.

Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association - Official Garden Features

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Kyu-Furukawa Gardens?

Gardens: 9:00-17:00, with last admission at 16:30. Opening hours may be extended during certain events. The Western mansion has separate opening days and hours managed by the Otani Art Museum; its current interior visiting hours could not be verified from an accessible museum page.

How much does Kyu-Furukawa Gardens cost?

Gardens: general admission 150 yen; visitors aged 65 and over 70 yen; elementary school children and younger free; junior high school students living or attending school in Tokyo free. Groups of 20 or more: general admission 120 yen, seniors 50 yen, subject to group payment and admission conditions. Free admission on May 4 and October 1. Combined Kyu-Furukawa Gardens and Rikugien ticket: general admission 400 yen, seniors 200 yen. Mansion interior admission is charged separately; its current price was not verified.

Why were an English-style mansion and a Japanese garden built on the same hillside?

Kyu-Furukawa Gardens occupies a landscape where the Musashino upland descends toward lower ground. The designers made this geographical feature the foundation of the estate. The Western-style mansion stands on the northern elevated area, the formal Western garden occupies the slope, and the Japanese strolling garden stretches across the lower level. The three-dimensional arrangement allows visitors to encounter contrasting styles as they move through the property. Rather than treating the buildings and gardens as unrelated attractions, the historical composition uses their positions to connect architecture with the natural terrain.

What are some little-known spots in Kyu-Furukawa Gardens?

The Western Garden's Formal Geometry, Shinjiike Pond, Karetaki Dry Waterfall, Otaki Waterfall, The Tea Garden, Miyama no Sakai.

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