Video Narration Script

During the 17th century this area
was a vast field of reeds that served
as an official hunting ground for
the Tokugawa Shogunate.
In 1704 the shogun built Hama Goten
palace here on reclaimed land and
it became his second residence.

During the Meiji era the garden was
renamed Hama Rikyu Teien.
It was here in 1879 that the
Emperor Meiji met with U.S. President
Ulysses S. Grant when he visited Japan
for two months during a world tour.

The Shin Senza duck hunting field
was originally created in 1795 and
was expanded and improved over time.
Having a duck hunting field on the
grounds of the shogun’s secondary
residence was traditional.
Duck hunting continued here until 1944.

This stone monument was installed
by a member of the Imperial
Household Agency as part of a
memorial service for ducks.

The Nakajima Tea House was originally
built by the sixth Tokugawa shogun,
Ienobu in 1707.
The current structure was rebuilt in 1983.

This island, together with the two
smaller islands on either side bear a
resemblance to a Chinese character
that is pronounced “Ko” in Japanese.

Matsu No Chaya was built by the
11th Tokugawa shogun, Ienari.
It was destroyed in 1944 during
a World War II air raid.

Tokyo’s only salt water pond,
Shio Iri No Ike is filled directly
from Tokyo Bay, so it’s water level
changes with the tide.

Umi Te Chaya was built by the
6th Tokugawa shogun, Ienobu in 1707.
It was destroyed by a fire caused by
the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923.

This black pine was planted when
the garden was renovated in 1709
by the 6th Tokugawa shogun, Ienobu.