Sankeien History & Architecture: Kyoto and Kamakura Treasures in Yokohama

Hara Sankei: The Silk Merchant Who Saved Japan's Architecture

Sankeien Garden (三溪園) in Yokohama exists because one man decided that Japan's historic buildings were worth more than the land they were being cleared from. Hara Sankei (原三溪, born Tomitaro Hara, 1868-1939) was a silk merchant who made his fortune during the Meiji era's rapid industrialization — and then spent much of it rescuing architecture that modernization was leaving behind.

According to the Sankeien official site, Hara began constructing the garden in 1902 and completed it in 1922. During those two decades, he purchased and relocated historic structures from across Japan — temples, villas, farmhouses, tea houses, and gates — that were threatened by neglect, urbanization, or the wholesale demolition that accompanied Meiji-era development in Kyoto, Kamakura, and other historic cities.

Today the garden contains 17 historic buildings, 10 of which are designated as Important Cultural Properties (重要文化財) — the highest level of national architectural protection. Three additional structures are registered as Yokohama Tangible Cultural Properties. As one of the Kanagawa garden destinations and a highlight of any Yokohama visit, Sankeien offers something rare: a single garden where you can walk through centuries of Japanese architectural history in an afternoon. For a complete practical walking route and seasonal flower guide, see our companion article.

The Inner Garden: Private Treasures Made Public

Sankeien is divided into an inner garden (内苑) and outer garden (外苑). The inner garden was originally Hara Sankei's private grounds, open only to his family and the artists and cultural figures he patronized. It wasn't opened to the public until after the garden was donated to the city of Yokohama. This is where the most architecturally significant buildings are concentrated.

Rinshunkaku Villa: An Edo-Period Daimyo Residence

Rinshunkaku (林春閣) is widely considered the centerpiece of Sankeien's architectural collection. According to the Sankeien official building guide, this Edo-period villa was originally built for the Maeda clan — one of the wealthiest daimyo families in Japan, based in Kanazawa (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). The building was relocated to Sankeien and is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

The villa's interior features refined Edo-period craftsmanship: painted sliding doors, elaborate woodwork, and a spatial layout designed for both formal receiving and private contemplation. The building sits beside a pond in the inner garden, positioned to reflect in the water — a deliberate design choice that connects the architecture to the surrounding landscape.

Rinshunkaku is not always open to interior viewing — check at the entrance for current access. When open, it rewards close inspection of the joinery and decorative details that made daimyo residences the pinnacle of Japanese domestic architecture.

The Yomeimon Gate and Toyotomi Hideyoshi Connection

One of the inner garden's most historically significant structures is a gate originally commissioned by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1591 — relocated from Kyoto's Saihoji temple. According to the Sankeien pamphlet, the gate is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

The Hideyoshi connection gives this gate a weight beyond its physical form. Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan in the late 16th century — anything built under his direct patronage carries exceptional historical significance. The fact that Hara Sankei could acquire such a structure speaks to both his financial resources and the precarious state of historic architecture during the Meiji period.

The Outer Garden: Free Access Since 1906

The outer garden was the portion Hara Sankei opened to the public in 1906 — making it freely accessible as a gift to Yokohama's citizens. This was an unusual act of cultural generosity for the era, and it established Sankeien as a public space decades before the garden was formally donated to the city.

The Three-Story Pagoda: Kanto's Oldest

The three-story pagoda (三重塔) is Sankeien's most recognizable structure. According to the Sankeien official site, the pagoda was originally built in 1457 at Tomyoji Temple in Kyoto and relocated to Sankeien in 1914. It is the oldest three-story pagoda in the Kanto region.

The pagoda stands on a hill in the outer garden, visible from much of the surrounding area. The climb to the base involves steep stairs but offers the garden's best panoramic viewpoint. Many visitors on TripAdvisor note that reaching the pagoda requires comfortable walking shoes — the path is well-maintained but not flat.

Seeing a 560-year-old Kyoto temple pagoda standing on a Yokohama hillside is one of those experiences that crystallizes what Hara Sankei was doing: taking architecture out of its original context to ensure its survival, creating a new context where different eras and regions of Japanese building coexist.

Tea Houses and Farmhouses

Beyond the headline structures, Sankeien's outer garden includes several tea houses and a relocated farmhouse that represent different regional and historical traditions. These smaller buildings are easy to overlook if you're focused on the pagoda and villa, but they provide texture — thatched roofs, exposed timber framing, and spatial designs that reflect the practical aesthetics of rural and ceremonial architecture.

The variety is part of the point. Hara Sankei didn't collect only aristocratic buildings — he also preserved vernacular architecture that represented how ordinary Japanese people lived and gathered. The contrast between a daimyo villa and a farmhouse, standing in the same garden, tells a more complete story of Japanese architectural history than either would alone.

Key Buildings and Their Original Locations

Sankeien's 17 buildings came from across Japan. The major structures and their origins:

Building	Original Location	Date Built	Status
Three-story pagoda	Tomyoji Temple, Kyoto	1457	Important Cultural Property
Rinshunkaku Villa	Maeda clan, Kanazawa	Edo period	Important Cultural Property
Gate (Hideyoshi commission)	Saihoji Temple, Kyoto	1591	Important Cultural Property

The buildings span roughly 500 years of Japanese architectural history, from Muromachi-period temple architecture to Edo-period domestic design. What unites them is Hara Sankei's eye for structures that were both beautiful and endangered — buildings that would have been demolished or left to decay without his intervention.

Not all 17 buildings are equally accessible or prominently displayed. Some are small tea houses tucked into garden corners; others are visible only from the exterior. The 10 Important Cultural Properties represent the core of the collection's significance.

War Damage, Restoration, and Preservation

Sankeien suffered significant damage during World War II. The air raids that devastated much of Yokohama in 1945 affected the garden and several of its structures. According to Nippon.com's profile of the garden, restoration work took place from 1953 to 1958, rebuilding damaged structures and rehabilitating the landscape.

The garden was eventually donated to the Sankeien Hoshokai Foundation, which manages it today. The transition from private estate to public cultural institution preserved Hara Sankei's original vision while ensuring professional conservation oversight.

The preservation story adds another layer to a visit. These buildings have survived not just relocation from their original sites, but also war damage and decades of subsequent maintenance. The fact that a privately collected garden now holds one of Japan's most significant concentrations of Important Cultural Properties outside of Kyoto itself speaks to the foresight of Hara Sankei's project.

Visiting Sankeien: Hours, Admission, and Access

According to the Sankeien official site, the garden operates on the following schedule:

Detail	Information
Hours	9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Admission	Adults ¥900 (~$6), University students ¥700 (~$4.70), High school students ¥500 (~$3.30), Middle school and under free
Closed	Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a holiday), December 29-January 3
Reservation	Not required

Many visitors on TripAdvisor recommend watching the museum video about Hara Sankei's life before exploring the garden — it provides context that makes the buildings more meaningful.

Getting there:

• From Yokohama Station: Keikyu bus, approximately 30 minutes to Sankeien-iriguchi stop
• From JR Ishikawa-cho Station: Bus approximately 10 minutes
• From JR Yamate Station: Walking approximately 30 minutes, or bus 15 minutes
• Parking: Available (paid, approximately 300 spaces)

The garden is large enough to fill 2-3 hours comfortably. Allow extra time if you want to visit both the inner and outer gardens thoroughly and stop at the tea houses. Spring (plum and cherry blossoms) and autumn (foliage) are the peak visiting seasons, but the architectural interest makes Sankeien rewarding in any weather or season.

For a guide to incorporating Sankeien into a broader Yokohama itinerary, see our guide to Sankeien as part of a Yokohama day trip. Admission prices shown are from 2025 — check the official site for current rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many buildings in Sankeien are Important Cultural Properties?

Ten of Sankeien's 17 historic buildings are designated as Important Cultural Properties (重要文化財) — Japan's national-level architectural protection. Three additional structures hold Yokohama Tangible Cultural Property status. The remaining buildings are historically significant but carry different levels of formal designation.

How much does it cost to visit Sankeien?

Admission is ¥900 (~$6) for adults, ¥700 (~$4.70) for university students, ¥500 (~$3.30) for high school students, and free for middle school students and younger. The garden is closed Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a holiday) and December 29 through January 3. No reservation is needed.

Why were buildings moved to Sankeien from Kyoto and Kamakura?

Silk merchant Hara Sankei (1868-1939) purchased historic structures that were threatened by neglect, demolition, and rapid urbanization during the Meiji period. He relocated temples, villas, gates, tea houses, and farmhouses from Kyoto, Kamakura, Kanazawa, and other regions to preserve them in his Yokohama garden — creating one of Japan's most significant collections of historic architecture outside Kyoto.

How do I get to Sankeien from Yokohama Station?

Take the Keikyu bus from Yokohama Station — the ride takes approximately 30 minutes to the Sankeien-iriguchi bus stop. Alternatively, JR Ishikawa-cho Station is closer, with a bus taking about 10 minutes. Walking from JR Yamate Station takes about 30 minutes. Paid parking is available with approximately 300 spaces.

What is the best season to visit Sankeien?

Spring brings plum blossoms (February-March) and cherry blossoms (late March-April), making it the most popular season. Autumn foliage (November-December) is equally scenic. However, Sankeien's architectural treasures are the main draw and are compelling year-round — a quiet winter visit lets you focus on the buildings without flower-season crowds.