名園と聞いていながら、なかなか足が向かなかった「小石川後楽園」。つい賑やかな後楽園遊園地や東京ドームの方に目がいき、庭園はその陰にとり残された古色蒼然たる小公園だろうくらいに思っていた。ある秋晴れの午後、ぽっかり空いた時間に壱岐坂から歩いて行って見た。まさに百聞は一見に如かず。我が不明を恥じるばかり。喧噪の街に穿たれた静謐の空間と出会った。手入れのよく行き届いたこの庭を「東京の至宝」と呼ぶのも大げさではないだろう。江戸文化の遺産をたっぷりと味わえる。借景に周辺のビルが顔を出すのを興ざめと見るか、それともビルの谷間にかくも奥深い庭園が息づいていることに感嘆するか。新旧の織りなす類い希なコントラストを先ず享受したいと思う。

"Korakuen" in Tokyo primarily attracts us with its amusement park and Tokyo Dome today; accordingly, in spite of its fame, I 've had an idea that Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens might be just an old park left behind the merry-go-rounds. One fine afternoon, however, I started walking from Iki-zaka to the gardens. Seeing is believeing inded. I'm ashamed of my long ignorance. I've come to find a quiet pocket in a bustling town. I won't hesitate to call it "a gem of Tokyo." It's very well taken care of and maintained. You may see the living heritage of Edo culture. Some may be disillusioned by the buildings behind the woods, and others may be delighted to find such a deep forest alive in the busiest city. I would like to appreciate the rare contrast between the old and the new first of all.

白山通りから見上げる東京ドームシティー/Tokyo Dome City, viewed from Hakusan-Dori Avenue.

文京シビックセンター/ Bunkyo Civic Center

大観覧車、ジェットコースター、シビックセンター/ Kourakuen Amusement Park and Civic Center

地下鉄丸ノ内線「後楽園駅ビル」/ Kourakuen Station Building of Marunouchi Subway Line

東京ドーム/ Tokyo Dome

東京ドーム観覧席入り口/one of the gates into the dome stadium

外堀通りの周辺案内図（緑地部分が庭園）/ a map of the vicinity of　Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

左は小石川運動場、右は「日中友好会館」/ Koishikawa Sports Ground (left) and Japan-China Friendship Center (right)

「小石川後楽園」入り口/ the main gate of Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

入り口正面の「大泉水」脇から全長1.7kmの小径が続く/a 1.7km trail takes us around in the traditional Japanese gardens

蓮池手前の大石/ a huge stone in front of the lotus pond

「大堰川」（京都嵐山にちなんで）/ "Ooi-gawa," a stream made to imitate the one running by Mt. Arashi-yama, Kyoto

中国杭州の西湖の堤を模した「西湖の堤」/ banks of Lake Sai ( an imitation of a Chinese Lake)

「大堰川」/"River Ooi"

「大堰川」のほとりにある「屏風岩」/ Screen Rocks beside "River Ooi"

山の頂上から見下ろす大堰川」/ "River Ooi" viewed from the top of a hill

「天通橋」/A bridge named "Tentsu-kyo"

朱塗りの欄干が鮮やか/ the traditional red

深山幽谷に見える「大堰川」上流/ the upper stream of "River Ooi" in the deep forest

水源。昔は神田上水の水を水車で汲み上げていたとか/ The source of "River Ooi" (In old days water was taken in by a waterwheel from a cannal, Kanda-josui.).

「得仁堂」/ Tokujin-do

伯夷・叔斉の木像を安置する/ Hakui and Shukusei engraved in wood are enshrined insode

水戸徳川家二代藩主光圀(1628-1700)の時代に完成/ Tokugawa Mitsukuni(1628-1700) established Tokujin-do.

「円月橋」明の儒学者・朱舜水の設計によるといわれる/ "Engetsu-kyo" (a birdge shaped of the moon reportedly designed by a Chinese conficianist Shu Shunsui)

「八掛堂跡」/ the ruin of "Hakkake-do"

古木が至る所に生い茂る/ old trees are forming the forest

庭園の北側/ the north part of the gardens

庭園の稲田/ the rice field inside the gardens

田圃の中の案山子と藤棚下の曼珠沙華/ a scarecrow in the rice field and manjushage (Lycoris radiata) under the trellis for wisteria

大泉水東端から竹生島を見る/ an island in the main pond

大木の枝はビルを隠す/ branches of a tree hiding the buildings from visitors' sight

彼方の高峰（？）、湖水に映る園外のビル/ buildings beyond the gardens

大泉水南端の関/ the south end of the main pond

きれいな水の中を悠々と泳ぐ鯉/ a big carp in the clear water

大泉水のある「後園」とは分離された「内園」の池/a pond in the inner garden apart from the main garden

後方（高峰）のビルを含めての庭園美/ the beauty of the gardens involves even the buildings afar

中国式の石畳が園内を巡る / the pitching trail of a Chinese style goes through the gardens

回遊路全行程、足元を守る石畳/ the trail for walkers

湖水の島影/ an island in the main pond

シビックセンターが顔を出す/ Bunkyo Civic Center beyond the forest

園内案内図。回遊順路は長短二通り/ a map of the gardens with two routes, long and short

庭園を囲む築地塀。石垣が巧みな造成/ the wall around the gardens

庭園東北の角/ the north-east end of the gardens

庭園に隣接する東京ドームホテル/ Tokyo Dome Hotel beside Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens