Parks and Gardens in Tokyo

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Tokyo has many green spaces between the towers. Some are wide open parks for picnics and running. Others are calm gardens with ponds, bridges and trimmed trees. In spring, people meet under the cherry trees for hanami, the cherry blossom picnic. In late autumn, the ginkgo and maple trees turn yellow and red. This guide covers the best parks and when to see the colours.

Shinjuku Gyoen

Shinjuku Gyoen is a large garden of about 58 hectares, a short walk from Shinjuku. It mixes three styles: a French formal garden, an English landscape garden with wide lawns, and a Japanese garden with ponds and tea houses. It has about 1,500 cherry trees of many kinds, so the bloom lasts from late March to late April. There is also a big glass greenhouse with tropical plants. There is a small entry fee, and you enter through one of three gates. Alcohol is not allowed, which keeps it calm. It is usually closed on Mondays, but open every day in cherry blossom season.

Yoyogi Park

Yoyogi Park is next to Harajuku Station. It is a wide, free park with big lawns, tall trees and a cycling area. On weekends you see dancers, musicians, runners and families with picnics. In cherry blossom season, the lawns fill with groups on blue sheets, and it gets lively. Across the road is the Yoyogi National Stadium, a famous modern building from 1964 with a curved roof. The Meiji Jingu forest is next to the park, with wide gravel paths under tall trees. In the area around the park there are often weekend food and culture events.

Cherry blossom timing

In Tokyo, the cherry trees usually open in late March and reach full bloom in the last days of March or the first days of April. Full bloom lasts only about one week, and rain or wind can end it early. The Japan Meteorological Agency and weather sites post forecasts from early in the year. Good places are Ueno Park, Chidorigafuchi moat near the Imperial Palace, the Meguro River and Shinjuku Gyoen. Some trees in Shinjuku Gyoen bloom later, into April. For hanami, bring a sheet, food and a bag for your rubbish. Popular spots fill early in the morning on weekends.

Autumn leaves

Autumn colour comes late in Tokyo. The ginkgo trees turn bright yellow from about mid to late November into early December. The best known ginkgo avenue is at Meiji Jingu Gaien, near Aoyama-itchome or Gaienmae Station. Maples turn red a little later, usually late November to early December. Rikugien and Koishikawa Korakuen are classic Japanese gardens with ponds, bridges and maple trees. Some gardens open in the evening with lights in autumn. If you visit Tokyo in early November, go to Nikko or the mountains, where the colours come earlier.

More green spaces

Ueno Park in the north has museums, a pond with lotus plants and a zoo. Hamarikyu Gardens sits by the sea, with a pond fed by the tide and views of new towers behind it. The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace have lawns, flowering trees and the old stone walls. They are free, but usually closed on Mondays and Fridays, so check before you go. Inokashira Park in Kichijoji has a lake with rowboats and the Ghibli Museum nearby, which needs a ticket booked in advance. Most gardens close at about 4:30 to 5 pm, so go in the morning.

Parks and Gardens at a glance

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