The history of “Kyu Shiba-rikyu Onshi Gardens” started in 1678 when Tadatomo Ohkubo, Feudal lord of Odawara domain, constructed a residence and garden in the land received from Ietsuna, the 4th Tokugawa Shogun.
After passing through the hands of several owners, the residence was purchased by Imperial Household Agency in 1875 and became the Shiba Detached Palace the next year.
In 1979, the gardens were designated by the national government as a place of scenic beauty.