Japanese Gardens in Autumn

Day 1 – Arrive in Japan

Tour members independently arrange travel to one of Tokyo’s International Airports (Haneda or Narita) and transfer by taxi or train to the Park Hotel Tokyo (transfer cost not included but if anyone prefers to take the train, we’ll help with directions), and check into the room booked for them (included in the tour price). We’ll gather in the hotel lobby at 6:30 PM for a Welcome Dinner in a restaurant, so we can all get to know each other (included).

Accommodation: Park Hotel Tokyo (or similar)
Included: Dinner

Day 2 – Tokyo Gardens

The first garden of our tour is a Stroll Garden nestled within the hustle and bustle of Tokyo: Kiyosumi Garden. Stroll Gardens primarily emphasize a journey through a designed landscape based on Japanese concepts of nature and beauty. So it is with Kiyosumi where paths meander around and over a pond at the heart of the garden, leading to various vantage points. Originally an aristocrat’s garden exclusive to the elite, the garden we admire today was crafted in the 19th century by Iwasaki Yatarō, the founder of Mitsubishi. He opened its gates to the public in 1932, and in 1979 the Tokyo Metropolitan Government recognized it as a designated place of scenic beauty.

For our second venue, we visit another Stroll Garden, Rikugien Garden.  In 1702, aristocrat Yanagisawa Yoshiyasuis began making Rikugien on land the ruling Shogun gave him. He dedicated seven years to transforming the flat site into a garden with a large central pond, picturesque islands, multiple hills adorned with groves of trees, and several teahouses, all connected by a network of paths.  Along the paths, Yoshiyasuis recreated scenes in miniature from famous Chinese and Japanese poems that he loved, giving the garden its alternate name, the “six poems garden.”  After falling into disrepair, the garden was restored in 1878 by Mitsubishi founder Iwasaki Yatarō and later donated to Tokyo in 1938. Today, Rikugien Garden is a 25-acre public park, a beautiful refuge and national cultural property in the middle of the modern city.

It’s onto Ginza Mitsukoshi later this afternoon, Japan’s oldest surviving department store chain founded in 1673, where we can enjoy some free time – shop and/or eat, to your heart’s content!

We return to the Park Hotel Tokyo. Dinner this evening will be at a restaurant of your choice, either in the hotel or elsewhere in Tokyo (not included).

Accommodation: Park Hotel Tokyo (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 3 – A museum and a hidden garden

Today, we start at the Nezu Museum, delving into pre-modern Japanese and Asian art collected by Nezu Kaichirō (1860-1940), a Japanese industrialist and passionate art lover. The collection, now approximately 7400 works, includes painting and calligraphy, sculpture and ceramics, wooden and bamboo crafts, and tea wares for the tea ceremony. It is housed in a 2009 building designed by renowned Japanese architect Kenzo Kuma and has been called a serene contemporary temple for traditional art. Also on the grounds is a noteworthy garden made in the shinzan-yūkoku style, which means deep mountains and mysterious valleys. Following the path leads one deeper and deeper into the lush garden revealing teahouses, two ponds, and stone sculptures.

We’ll have lunch on our way to our afternoon garden (not included).

We visit Mejiro Garden, which is a hidden peaceful garden in the heart of Tokyo. In the center of the garden, there is a large pond surrounded by an ever-evolving display of foliage-color thanks to the changing seasons. This afternoon we finish a little earlier so we can enjoy Tokyo for ourselves. Or maybe one of the spa services on the hotel’s 26th floor is more what you feel like (not included).

Train Travel in Japan: Japan’s train system is impressive, and rather than carting luggage around, locals use couriers to transport it between destinations. We’ll be using the same because the trains are just not built for that much cartage. So, as well as your usual luggage (a courier service for your singular bag/case is included in trip cost), you’ll need a small backpack or overnight case (with wheels) to pack essentials for brief stays while your luggage is couriered directly to meet you at the next major destination. This trip has three luggage transfers that occur on days 4, 6 and 8.

Accommodation: Park Hotel Tokyo (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 4 – Tokyo to Kanazawa

This morning, after a vehicle transfer to the station, we travel by Bullet Train to Kanazawa, a journey of approximately 2.5 hours.

On arrival, we’ll have lunch (not included) and then explore Kenrokuen Garden, often listed as one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens, alongside Korakuen in Okayama (which we visit on Wednesday) and Kairakuen in Mito. The daimyos of the Maeda clan built the garden over a period of 150 years, starting in 1620. Kenrokuen translates to “garden of the six sublimities,” which are spaciousness, seclusion, human artistry, antique elegance, flowing water, and magnificent views. In addition to water features, bridges, teahouses, stones, and viewpoints, there are approximately 8,750 trees and 183 plant species. Noteworthy attractions we won’t want to miss are the oldest fountain in Japan, operating on natural water pressure; the iconic Kotojitoro Lantern with its unique two-legged design; and the Flying Geese Bridge (Gankō-bashi), crafted from eleven red stones arranged to resemble geese in flight.

For the night, we check into Hotel Forza Kanazawa for two nights. Dinner this evening will be at a restaurant of your choice, either in the hotel or elsewhere in Kanazawa (not included).

Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 5 – Kanazawa

We’ll start the day at The D.T. Suzuki Museum that commemorates the life works of Suzuki Daisetz Teitaro (1870-1966), a prominent Buddhist philosopher most widely known for introducing Japanese Zen philosophy to the West. While the initial focus here is the architectural clean lines and contemplative interiors, each of the three wings are complemented by gardens reflecting their internal spaces.

We also visit Nomura House and Garden to get a glimpse into the life of a wealthy samurai family in the Edo Period. The beautifully crafted dwelling, which housed eleven generations, includes sliding doors with paintings by 17th-century artist Senkei Sasaki, a coffered ceiling made from Japanese cypress, and samurai armor and weapons. Despite its modest size, the surrounding garden is lush, featuring a meandering stream with a waterfall that adds a gentle soundtrack to the tranquil space. We’ll take in the view from the veranda and then follow the narrow paths that wind through the garden, over stepping stones and a granite bridge, past ancient lanterns, rare stone formations, and a 400-year-old bayberry tree. At the end of the exploration, a rest in the upstairs tea room will give us a unique overview of the garden, best enjoyed with a cup of traditional matcha tea.

For the rest of the afternoon, we explore the scenic Higashi Chaya. Situated adjacent to the Asano River, the district was established in 1820 as a sanctuary where geiko—local geishas—entertained wealthy nobility and merchants with music, dance, and games. This area reveals well-preserved traditional wooden structures with intricate lattice-work windows. Today, the delicate strum of the shamisen (a guitar) and the rhythmic beat of drums can still be heard from the teahouses in the evenings, confirming the enduring presence of geisha entertainment. While most teahouses maintain exclusivity, only accessible through referral, a few are open to the curious visitor during the day. Alongside these, many of the original buildings have been transformed into charming cafes, restaurants, sweet shops, and craft shops. Don’t miss the opportunity to stop by a gold leaf gallery, a nod to Kanazawa’s industry that produces 99% of Japan’s gold leaf, or to enjoy a tranquil moment with a cup of tea and wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, in one of the welcoming establishments.

We return to Hotel Forza Kanazawa for our last night in Kanazawa. Dinner this evening will be at a restaurant of your choice, either in the hotel or elsewhere in the city (not included).

Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 6 – Kanazawa to Okayama

We take the Limited Express train to Kyoto station this morning and transfer to the Bullet Train for Okayama.

Upon arrival in Okayama, we’ll have lunch at a cafe (not included) and then visit Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan’s most highly regarded gardens on par with the Kenrokuen Garden we saw in Kanazawa. Located on a sandbar in the Asahi River, the garden is a splendid relic of the Edo Period. Open to the public since 1884, this garden endured significant damage during the 1934 floods and World War II but has been carefully restored based on historical records. The sprawling garden features classic elements like large ponds, streams, and paths, along with unique spacious lawns. Groves of plum, cherry, maple trees, and tea and rice fields are just some of the plantings we’ll see. A highlight is the 2100’ winding stream that flows through a two-story open rest house called Ryuten, framing views of the garden, all set against the backdrop of the rooflines of Okayama Castle, which we visit next.

Okayama Castle, often called “Crow Castle” due to its striking black exterior, is next on our itinerary. It stands on the shores of the Asahi River across from Korakuen Garden. Initially built in the 16th century with gigantic stones in the retaining walls at its base, the castle was reconstructed in 1966 after being destroyed during World War II. Its unique facade contrasts with the typical white plaster of many Japanese castles, lending it a distinctive and imposing presence. The castle houses a history display within its six-story donjon—the most heavily fortified area where the occupants could shelter during a siege. From its upper floors, we’ll see panoramic views of the city and Korakuen Garden.

We check into the ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama for two nights. Dinner this evening will be at a restaurant of your choice, either in the hotel or elsewhere in the city (not included).

Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 7 – Adachi Museum of Art

Today’s transfers are longer than normal (2.5 hours) so maybe it’s worth popping a book in your bag to while-away the time today, before we reach today’s cultural gems. This morning we travel to the Adachi Museum of Art, a renowned contemporary Museum and garden. Established by local businessman and passionate art collector Zenko Adachi in 1970, the museum is famed for its exceptional collection of modern Japanese art. The museum’s charm, however, is also deeply embedded in its breathtaking gardens, which are viewed from the museum building and not entered. Often cited as one of the most beautiful in Japan, the gardens cover 40 acres, designed in various styles, including a dry landscape garden, a white gravel and pine garden, and a moss garden. Every view from the museum building is meticulously curated, presenting the gardens as live paintings. This blend of art and nature encapsulates Zenko Adachi’s philosophy, making our visit to the Adachi Museum an immersive aesthetic experience.

Lunch will be at a cafe (not included).

It’s a 30 minute drive to Yshien Garden this afternoon. A private garden established in 1975, that’s most famous for its meticulously tended collection of 250 different types of peony flowers. The grounds are 430,000 square feet in size and feature traditional garden elements including a pond in its heart, meandering streams and waterfalls.

We return to our Okayama hotel for our last night. As usual, dinner this evening will be at a restaurant of your choice, either in the hotel or elsewhere in the city (not included).

Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 8 – Okayama to Kyoto

This morning we take a one-hour ride on the Bullet Train to Kyoto, renowned for its rich cultural heritage.

Our private coach will take us to explore Kōtō-in Temple, a serene 17th-century sub-temple of the illustrious Daitoku-ji Temple. It has two atmospheric gardens that showcase the aesthetic philosophy of its founder, warrior-turned-Zen priest Hosokawa Tadaoki. We will first be drawn into the temple’s ambiance by its exquisitely crafted long, narrow entrance path, unrivaled in Kyoto. The main garden, viewed from the veranda of the principal hall, is a masterful exercise in Zen simplicity – a flat expanse of vibrant moss, punctuated by a solitary lantern and graceful maples, set against a bamboo backdrop. On the other side of the main hall, a winding path invites exploration of the intimate tea garden. Walking past clipped clumps of bamboo, camellias, hornbeam, and rhododendron, and a rugged water basin, culminating in a quaint tea house – a tranquil hideaway steeped in the meditative spirit of Zen.

There’s some free time for lunch (not included).

Our final stop today is Zohiko Lacquer Shop, a store with a 300-year history specializing in the art of Urushi lacquerware, which involves sprinkling gold and silver powder on lacquer. Housed in a traditional building, Zohiko offers handcrafted lacquer pieces, ranging from elegant tableware and decorative boxes to intricate accessories. Every item showcases the detailed craftsmanship and dedication to maintaining the heritage of this traditional Japanese art form.

Accommodation: Hyatt Place Kyoto (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 9 – Kyoto

This morning, our first stop is the Tenryu-ji Temple, a sprawling Zen temple established in 1339 that serves as one of the headquarters of the Rinzai School of Zen Buddhism. Historically ranked among the five most important Zen temples in Kyoto, Tenryu-ji Temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Kyoto. The temple’s Sogenchi Garden, designed by Zen master Muso Soseki, is a Stroll Garden and was the first garden to incorporate the concept of “borrowed scenery” (shakkei) by using the nearby mountains to enhance the garden’s depth. Another garden highlight is the Dragon Gate Waterfall, an arrangement of rugged stones that suggest a powerful water cascade but is completely dry.

Close to Tenryu-ji Temple is the world-famous Sagano Bamboo Forest, a natural wonder of towering Phyllostachus edulis, some 100’ tall. As sunlight filters through the stalks, they cast beautiful shadows and create gentle sounds — rustling, creaking, and knocking together. Wooden pathways weave through the serene forest, allowing us to experience this magical place.

Our next stop before lunch (not included) is atop one of the foothills of Mt. Ogura, nestled at the end of the bamboo forest. Ōkōchi Sansō is a villa with a five-acre garden. It was once the estate of celebrated film actor Ōkōchi Denjirō, famed for his period samurai and war films. Built in the 1930s and 1940s, this epitome of traditional Japanese residential architecture was opened to the public following Ōkōchi’s death in 1962. We’ll walk the suggested path that presents the garden as a shifting tableau, capturing the exquisite beauty of autumn. This journey over stepping-stones, through maze-like hedges, past bamboo fences, and mossy ground cover, reveals views of Kyoto, Mt. Hiei, and the Hozu River gorge.

Following lunch, we travel to the celebrated Ryōan-ji Temple, a Zen Buddhist monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the most famous example of a Dry Landscape Garden, Karesansui. Although the garden’s original designer and appearance remain unclear, it is believed to have been created in the fifteenth century and received its current design during the Edo period. It consists of carefully arranged rocks and gravel in an 82’ by 23’ rectangle enclosed by clay walls. Fifteen stones are placed in carefully composed groups surrounded by white gravel, which is raked daily by the monks. The only touch of greenery is small pads of moss around the stones. The garden’s meaning has sparked numerous theories, including interpretations such as islands floating on an ocean, a symbolic expression of wabi-sabi, or an embodiment of the fundamental ideals of Zen philosophy. Or perhaps its most important meaning is as a purely abstract composition, inviting contemplation.

Our final experience today is the Japanese tea ceremony. Known in Japan as chadō, meaning the way of tea, it is a tradition steeped in history, where a bowl of matcha or powdered green tea is served by experts trained in the dignified art of the elegant hand movements required for this ceremony, the gestures aid in the appreciation of this healing brew and the typically beautiful bowls it is served in. Learn to appreciate the subtle depth of a tea ceremony, often considered a gateway to Japanese culture. While sipping the rich flavor of matcha green tea, a master of the tea ceremony will give you an insider look into the small details that make the ceremony the serene moment of pure contemplation and togetherness that it is. Learn about the ceremony’s connections to Zen and Buddhism, and how so many elements of Japanese culture permeate through every step and motion.

We return to our hotel and dinner will be at a restaurant of your choice, either in the hotel or elsewhere in the city (not included).

Accommodation: Hyatt Place Kyoto (or similar)
Included: Breakfast

Day 10 – Ohara

Our first stop is Entsu-ji Temple‘s small garden, a masterful example of Shakkei, or borrowed scenery. The garden seamlessly merges with the surrounding natural scene, offering an uninterrupted view of Mt. Hiei from the veranda. Once part of an emperor’s villa in the 17th century, low hedges enclose the garden on three sides, and 40 stones and low round-trimmed shrubs punctuate its moss-covered ground. Mature Japanese cedar trees, their trunks trimmed high, rise straight up on the perimeter, breaking the horizontal lines of the hedges. Bamboo groves and the mountain stretch beyond, creating a mesmerizing tableau. The selective arrangement of common natural elements—moss, stones, shrubs, trees, bamboo groves, and mountains—while excluding all other distractions make this garden an archetype of Zen aesthetics.

After lunch, we’ll visit Ginkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Silver Pavilion, which was built as a retirement villa and garden in 1482 by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. The complex became a Zen temple as Yoshimasa had wished upon his death in 1490. Contrary to its name, the Silver Pavilion lacks the anticipated silver exterior. Rather its unadorned facade embodies ‘wabi-sabi’ — the Japanese aesthetic, appreciating beauty in imperfection. The temple garden has a distinct raked dry sand garden, the “Sea of Silver Sand,” featuring a 6’ sand cone called “Moon Viewing Platform,” metaphorically representing Mt. Fuji. There is also a forested moss garden with ponds, islands, bridges, and streams. Moss is associated with the Zen concept of impermanence and the transience of life. In 1994, Ginkaku-ji’s distinctive aesthetics earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, and it remains an official National Treasure of Japan.

On the way back to the hotel we stop to explore Shinnyodo Temple. This is a quiet little pocket of moss carpeted, woodland garden filled with maples, tucked inside a residential neighborhood of Kyoto.

Tonight, we gather for dinner (included) at a local restaurant, including a Sake Tasting.

Accommodation: Hyatt Place Kyoto (or similar)
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11 – Kyoto

We start our last day of garden touring in the sprawling Nanzen-ji temple complex at Tenju-an Temple. It was initially a 13th-century emperor’s country villa before converting to a Zen temple. The gardens at Tenju-an are unusual in their incorporation of elements from many periods of Japanese garden design. The temple’s dry garden, likely hailing from the 17th century, presents a serene picture from the main hall veranda, featuring a rectangular sea of light-colored, raked gravel punctuated by flat-topped rocks set against a verdant backdrop of trees. This garden’s standout feature is a striking, fish-scale path paralleling the veranda, composed of square paving stones set diagonally in moss. Adjoining the dry garden is the stroll garden with a pair of ponds, separated by a picturesque peninsula, and two bridges: one made of staggered planks and the other, flat stepping-stones.

We take a break from gardens to visit Eriko Horiki’s Washi Gallery. Washi is the traditional form of Japanese paper making with a history dating back over a thousand years, revered for its warmth, texture, strength, and translucency. Eriko Horiki is a contemporary artist renowned for her exquisite work in this medium. Her work, infused with a delicate balance of light and shadow, challenges conventional perceptions of paper and space and creates transcendently beautiful objects.

We’ll stop for lunch on our way to our next garden (not included).

The last temple gardens of our tour bring our inquiry into Japanese gardens up to modern times with a visit to Tofuku-ji Temple. It is one of the Five Great Zen Temples in Kyoto and was founded in 1236, but the gardens we see today were not made until 1939. Encircling the temple’s main building are four distinct gardens that fuse the simplicity of 13th-century design with a modernist sensibility. Mirei Shigemori, a renowned landscape architect, designed them. The southern garden, a dry landscape garden, interprets elements of Chinese mythology with swirling gravel in front of the sea, unusually detailed rocks as legendary islands, and five mossy hillocks crowned with a single pine, representing Kyoto’s five notable Zen temples. The western garden contrasts squares of white gravel with clipped azaleas, a design possibly inspired by land division methods. In the east, seven round recycled bridge piers stand in raked sand and moss, echoing the celestial pattern of Ursa Major (the big dipper), with the raked gravel symbolizing the night sky. The northern garden displays a checkerboard pattern of square stones amid moss, gradually fading into a backdrop of azaleas. Revered as the zenith of contemporary Japanese garden design, these gardens’ abstract expressions, particularly the arrangement of square stones within the lush moss, have achieved iconic status, inspiring garden makers worldwide.

We return to our hotel for the last night, then gather at a local restaurant (included) for our Farewell Dinner included.

Accommodation: Hyatt Place Kyoto (or similar)
Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12 – Sayonara

Our time together ends, but garden lovers will likely find inspiration wherever they are. Tour members can choose to return home or carry on the adventure.

Included: Breakfast