Higo-Hosokawa Garden
This season's opening
Higo-Hosokawa autumn lights (Higo Akari)
- Hours
- 17:30–20:00 in 2025 (last entry 19:30). The west and south gates shut at 16:15, the middle gate at 16:30.
- Admission
- ¥300 in 2025 (free for preschoolers)
- Booking
- No bookingOnly the bamboo-lantern workshop needs booking.
Evening opening with bamboo lanterns and lighting around the pond and maples. In 2025 Shoseikaku also served evening tea (17:30–20:00, ¥800–1,000).
One-way route, no tripods, entry may be limited when busy. The ponds were drained for cleaning from late August to mid-October 2026 and should be refilled by then.
About the garden
Free, nearly empty, and fed by natural springs from the Mejirodai cliff. View the pond from the veranda of the Shoseikaku hall. Next door to Chinzanso.
Where to stand
Best from the second floor of Shoseikaku: the cliff becomes a mountain and the pond a lake, said to echo the Hosokawa family's home landscape in Kumamoto.
Practical notes
Free and unknown to tourists. Matcha is served in the hall for a small fee. Pair with Chinzanso (5 min) and the bakery Sekiguchi Pan.
Tea and food nearby
Small places within walking distance. Check their opening days against the garden's.
- ☾ Open after the evening viewing10 min walk🍽 FoodOsteria il Fico
An osteria across the Kanda River in Waseda where the owner makes the pasta by hand; cross the bridge after the 20:00 closing for a late dinner.
Order：Fresh handmade pasta and a glass of wine
Tue–Fri 11:00–15:00, 17:30–22:00 (food last order 21:00); Sat and holidays 12:00–15:00, 17:30–22:00; Mon lunch onlyClosed: Sundays¥4,000–5,000 in the eveningDetails ↗ - 0 min walk☕ CafeShoseikaku (inside Higo-Hosokawa Garden)
Matcha overlooking the pond, inside the garden itself. After the Wakeijuku tour, it links the family's Western house and Japanese garden in one afternoon.
Order：Matcha with the seasonal sweet
- 7 min walk☕ CafeLe Pain France Sekiguchi (Mejirozaka)
A bakery founded in 1888, with a café and terrace at its Mejirozaka flagship: walk towards Edogawabashi and share something fresh from the oven.
Order：A baguette sandwich and café au lait
Mon–Sat 8:00–18:00, Sun and holidays 8:00–17:00Closed: 31 Dec–4 Jan¥1,000–2,000 (PayPay or cash)Details ↗