Koishikawa Botanical Garden Is Japan's First Down
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Discover Your Favorite Giant Trees! Survived even a firebomb strike The huge 300-year-old tree The symbolic Ginkgo tree from which Koishikawa Botanical Himalayan Cedar Camphor Trees zoospore was discovered (Cedrus deodara) (Cinnamomum camphora) Ginkgo Garden (Ginkgo biloba) Although these trees are You will find this This is the world-famous Enjoy a walk through called Deodar Cedar or enormous tree giant ginkgo tree, through the giant urban trees in the oldest Himalayan Cedar, they actu- standing among the study of which a bot- ally belong to the Pinaceae the great variety anist first discovered the botanical garden in Japan. family and produce many of camellias plant- existence of sperm in seed large cones. During World ed in the camellia plants. War II, a firebomb hit one garden. The tree was once called of the trees, and the upper This tree, estimat- the Gingko of Saw Blade part of the trunk burned ed to be over 300 Scars because there is a Koishikawa Botanical Garden is Japan's first down. Because of this inci- years old, and one story that it was almost dent, the tree is split from of the oldest in the garden, is known as a spiritual site. cut down, and until the botanical garden. the lower part of the trunk. Enjoy the magnificent shape of the tree as it stretches early Showa era, saw You can spot impressive giant trees and Viewing the branches that forth its branches. The botanical garden allows its blade scars were seen on unique plants with historical backgrounds, have grown from the split, trees grow with minimum pruning. its trunk. you will be impressed by it’s powerful drive to survive. among roughly 4,000 plant species cultivated in the spacious garden. Trunk girth : 388 cm Trunk girth : 592 cm Trunk girth : 490 cm The garden is a popular place for those who Height : 22 m Height : 21 m Height : 22 m Est. age : 95 years and 110 years are interested in plants and gardens. Take a Est. age : Over 300 years Est. age : 300 years walk and relax, viewing the giant trees and seasonal flowers blooming in this verdant, tranquil urban oasis. Named by the Emperor Taisho Rare to grow this large Tulip Tree Chinese Fringe Flower (Liriodendron tulipifera) (Loropetalum chinense) This gigantic tulip tree is The Chinese fringe flower considered to be planted, grows naturally in only for the first time in Japan, limited regions of Japan, by Mr. Keisuke Ito, in the and is listed as an Endan- early Meiji era. It is said that gered(EN) in the Red list Historical background of the later Emperor Taisho published by Ministry of the the Koishikawa named it as a tulip Tree Environment. Botanical Garden University Museum, Koishikawa Branch, University of Tokyo when he visited the garden It is commonly used as a in 1890 as the Crown Prince. hedge, but this particular The official name of the garden is the Botanical 【Access】 tree is unique for its unusual Gardens of the Graduate School of Science in ・10 minutes’ walk from Hakusan Sta. (Toei Mita Line size. You can enjoy its small the University of Tokyo. The garden is an edu- (Subway)) white flowers, blooming like cational and research facility belonging to the ・15 minutes’ walk from Myogadani Sta. (Tokyo Metro those of a weeping cherry University of Tokyo, but is open to the public. Marunouchi Line (Subway)) tree, from the middle of April to the beginning of May. It originated in the Koishikawa Medicinal Herb ・3 minutes’ walk from Hakusan 2 Bus Stop (Toei Bus; Garden, established by the Tokugawa Sho- Otsuka Sta.-Ueno Park Line) gunate. The former clinic, opened in the herb Trunk girth : 491 cm Trunk girth : 303 cm garden in 1723, became well-known because 【Admission】 Height : 29 m as the Crown Prince Height : 13 m of Shugoro Yamamoto’s short story collection, ・Adults (high school students or older): ¥400 Est. age : 93 years Est. age : Unknown “Akahige Shinryotan”, and Akira Kurosawa’s ・Junior high/elementary students: ¥130 film, “Red Beard”. ・Infants: free Discover Your Favorite Giant Trees! Nmed by the Emperor Taisho Tulip Tree Trunk girth: cm Koishikawa Botanical 491 The huge 300-year-old tree Height: 29 m Garden Est. age: Unknown Camphor Trees Location: West side of the giant tree avenue Enjoy a walk through Trunk girth: 592 cm Rare to grow this large Height: 21 m the giant urban trees in the oldest Est. age: Over 300 years botanical garden in Japan. Chinese Fringe Flower The symbolic Ginkgo tree from which Location: Camellia Garden Trunk girth: 303 cm zoospore was discovered Height: 13 m Est. age: 93 years Ginkgo It takes roughly 60 min. Location: Follow the path westward Trunk girth: 490 cm Survived even a firebomb strike to tour the Garden. from the Tulip Tree Height: 22 m Est. age: 300 years Himalayan Cedar You can enjoy a walk through the Location: Near the restroom in the west Trunk girth: 388 cm side of the open greenhouse giant trees in this verdant, tranquil Height: 22 m urban oasis. Est. age: 95 years and 110 years Oriental plane Location: North side of Main Building 5 4 3 2 WC Greenhouse Lagerstroemia subcostata Japanese maple 1 Evergreen azalea Dove Tree Well of Koishikawa Yoseijo 1 Himalayan Cedar Japanese apricot 5min Classified sample Medicinal garden preservation garden 2 Camphor Trees Metasequoia Japanese 1min University Museum, WC Koishikawa Branch, garden University of Tokyo Metasequoia WC 3 Ginkgo Main Gate Start 5min Newton’s Apple tree and Mendel’s Grapevine Main Building 4 Tulip Tree You can find descendants The main building, built in 1939, is an elegant 3min of “Newton’s apple tree“ two-story reinforced concrete building with a and “Mendel’s grapevine“ clock tower and spiral staircase. It was designed Chinese Fringe in the garden. Both plants by architect Yoshikazu Uchida, whose works in- 5 bear fruit. How do they clude the famous Yasuda Auditorium and many Flower taste? other buildings of the University of Tokyo. * The main building is not open to the public..