Arisugawa-no-Miya: A Place for Everyone
A buzz of Ferraris and Porcshes circumnavigate an otherwise serene hamlet nestled in the well-healed community of Minamiazabu in Tokyo. Arisugawa-no-miya, a 67,131-square-meter park, is not your typical greenspace boasting only a collection of beautiful trees and shrubbery -- although it has much of that too -- but a dynamic and diverse ecosystem that has transformed and evolved through a series of incarnations over the years. From a feudal lord’s urban villa during the Edo period, to an outdoor classroom for children to explore the natural world in the 1930s to the vast and vibrant community hub that it is today, this charming neighborhood sanctuary is a beautiful blend of restorative calm and community shenanigans.
Arisugawa’s circadian rhythm starts just before dawn when volunteer sweepers arrive with branch brooms to clear the paths and play areas of fallen leaves and ginkgo nuts. Shortly after, a chorus of “ohayo gozaimasu” echoes throughout as the neighborhood elders greet each other upon arrival for their morning calisthenics. Dog owners weave through their stretches and bobs, while bands of expats start to gather for their boot camps in different corners of their park. In Arisugawa, the day has started. And, as it progresses, toddlers will learn to ride bikes and pump swings, children will climb trees and play tag, and teenagers will congregate on benches to compare their Insta threads and gossip. Moms will meet to comingle and commiserate, while dads practice pitching and preaching to their children. Couples will share obento boxes and cans of wine, and company men will quietly smoke cigarettes in the designated areas never making eye contact. Arisugawa truly is a backyard for its extended community.
Locals follow this route to the local library!
But it’s not just the activity that defines this park, it is a the quiet stillness in its knooks and cranies that provide a unique counter to the frenetic pace of its more open spaces. Built into a hill, Arisugawa maintains its regal roots will pristine meandering pathways and stone bridges winding through arches of ancient trees. Two waterfalls cascade from opposite sides of the park into a valley defined by a large pond, home to koi and mallard ducks, as well as the occasional angler. Its elegant gardens, designated dens to irises, plum trees and cherry blossoms, provide small gatherings or solitary visitors refuge before returning to the bustle of the city just meters away.
Arisugawa is unique in its marriage of calm and chaos. In Japan, many “green” spaces are defined by one or the other. But here, in this sprawling and carefully maintained oasis, both are welcome guests. It’s a place for children’s unbridled laughter and quiet contemplation, a place for dogs to play and artists to paint, a place for everyone to find their happy. In a world seemingly detached from this mission, Arisugawa provides an ever important and worthy ideal!
