Featuring an intriguing relationship with wood, this former landfill and artificial island is today filled with cherry blossoms, botanical collections and museums.

Yumenoshima is a leafy artificial islet on Tokyo’s southern cape, providing scenic bay vistas. The island built from waste landfill in the late 1930s is now known for its museums, vast park and a wooden boat damaged by a hydrogen bomb. Escape the city hubbub in this peaceful coastal haven.

Admire colourful floral layouts in the tropical botanical garden of Yumenoshima Park. The park’s lush vegetation illustrates the transformation of the islet from a landfill to cherry blossom splendour. Watch an event at Yumenoshima Baseball Field or Yumenoshima Athletics Stadium. Bring your canine friend to the Ino-Forest Dog Garden, where it can meet other pups.

Stroll along the sides of the canal and admire the glassy architecture of the Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome. Enter the greenhouse for its exotic vegetation. The stylish structure also has a movie theatre and an exhibition hall for temporary installations. Study trees and plants as you learn about the rainforests of Southeast Asia, the Amazon Basin and the Congo Basin. Let your kids play with wooden blocks and toys in the Dream Room.

See other wooden innovations and exhibits in the Wood and Plywood Museum. Its highlights include wooden toilet paper and workshops on the history of wood and the impact of humans on forests. Visit the Daigo Fukuryu Maru Exhibition to see the extraordinary wooden tuna-fishing boat damaged by a hydrogen bomb tested by the U.S. in 1954.

At the islet’s northern tip is the Yumenoshima Marina. Walk along the piers and admire stylish boats. Dine at one of the restaurants with views of the water.

The district is perched at the southern end of Kōtō, in the southern part of Tokyo. Ride one of the many transportation services to Shin-Kiba Station and get around the neighbourhood on foot. Continue south to reach Wakasu Seaside Park, the Wakasu Park Camping Ground and the Tokyo Gate Bridge.

From landfill to lush and leafy, Yumenoshima is a serene escape overlooking Tokyo Bay.