This garden was built in the Bunka/Bunsei era (1804-1830) of the Edo Period when merchant culture was starting to bloom. Reflective of popular culture of the time period, this park offers an aesthetic appeal slightly different from that of feudal gardens like Koishikawa Korakuen and Rikugien.

The garden was created by a wealthy antique dealer named Kikuu Sahara, who teamed up with distinguished artists and writers of the times, and opened the garden on the site of the former residence of a shogunate retainer.

The garden gained an immediate popularity thanks to its 100 plum trees. Various other famous species of flowering plants, primarily those found in Chinese and Japanese ancient poetry, were planted over the centuries. Today, the garden features some kinds of flowers at any given time of the year.

In October 1978 the garden was designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty and a Historic Site.