Shiba Koen/Takeshiba

Shiba Koen/Takeshiba

Standing nearby the Tokyo Bay where many vessels come and go, this development district is where you will see many tall buildings, railroads, expressways, and canals. Surrounded by concrete walls, there a number of old, historic gardens and parks such as Shiba Koen, Former Shiba Rikyu Garden, and Hama Rikyu Teien. Shiba Koen, one of the oldest parks in Japan, was one of the first in the country along with the parks of Ueno, Asakusa, Fukagawa, and Asukayama to be designated as parks in Tokyo. Originally, it surrounded the temple grounds of the neighboring Zojoji and was much larger than its current size. The pier in Takeshiba is where many types of vessels arrive and depart from such as those going to the islands of Izu and Ogasawara as well as restaurant boats taking passengers on a cruise of the Tokyo Bay.