Parks & Gardens
Tokyo has more than 300 parks, nearly all of them small neighborhood spots. The more extensive parks and gardens are well worth your time as a respite from the street bustle.
Think of a trip to the best parks in Tokyo like a trip to a museum, only better, as the oldest gardens have been cultivated for literally centuries, handed down decade after decade by their artists.
Shinjuku Gyoen
- Google Maps
- Website
- JR Shinjuku Station, Yamanote Line, South Exit (10-minute walk)
Entrance fee: ¥500 (adults)
Shinjuku Gyoen is the Central Park of Tokyo—and yet so much more fascinating in its variety and diversity.
Its main attraction is scenic variety. A vast open green lawn covers the middle of the park, narrowing at the far end into a French-style garden, which itself slopes down into a Japanese garden and then breaks into more secluded trails of solitude winding through denser, dark forest. Discover a traditional teahouse in the middle of the gardens and a highly acclaimed greenhouse on the north end, near Shinjuku Gyoenmae subway station.
Seasonality is the second draw. There are flowers and trees blooming at every season of the year. See the website for a schedule. The May-June hydrangea season may mark the peak of the park's bloom.
+Variety
+Size
+Location
-None
=A must visit to one of Japan's six great parks.
Yoyogi
95.83
- Google Maps
- Website
- JR Harajuku Station, Yamanote Line, Takeshita Exit (5-minute walk)
Entrance fee: Free
Yoyogi Park is a popular weekend destination for locals, drawing both young and old with its simple open spaces and recreational facilities.
Its biggest draw is location: it's a 5-minute walk from the Harajuku shopping district.
There are regular and irregular events on the weekend at the events square, including a flea market, as well as some open recreational areas like a dog run and basketball court.
+Location
+Free
+Recreation facilities (basketball, etc.)
-Few scenic areas
=A nice place for a stroll during an excursion to Harajuku area.
Showa Memorial Park
- Google Maps
- Website
- JR Tachikawa Station, JC19 Chuo Line, North Exit (12-minute walk)
Entrance fee: ¥450 (adults)
This is the largest park in the Tokyo area, nearly twice as big as the second-largest, Mizumoto Park.
It's an easy trip from central Tokyo on the Chuo Line and well worth a full day of exploring.
The main attraction is scenic diversity. Like Shinjuku Gyoen, Showa is organized into dozens of smaller, self-contained areas featuring a different theme. The highlights are the Japanese garden, a 20-minute walk from the gate, and the seasonal flower gardens. A leisurely stroll around the entire park will take 2~3 hours.
+Massive
+Bike rental
+Outdoor pool area in summer
-A 30-minute train trip from central Tokyo
=If Japanese parks are high on the to-do list, then don't leave Tokyo without visiting Showa. The Tachikawa area isn't anything special, but after a long walk in the park, there are plenty of good restaurants and bars near the station.
Hamarikyu Gardens
- Google Maps
- Website
- JR Shimbashi Station, JY29 Yamanote Line, Exit on the Shiodome side and walk towards Shiodome Station
Entrance fee: ¥300 (adults)
Hamarikyu Gardens has two main attractions: compactness and accessibility.
If you're pressed for time but want to experience a traditional Japanese garden, you can see a lot in Hamarikyu in just an hour's time.
The other unique feature is the waterway access. A water ferry docks at Hamarikyu and connects with Asakusa. On a nice day, you can take a scenic ride through one of the main water arteries of Tokyo, landing you right next to Skytree and the shrine district.
+Compact
+Accessible
-Little diversity in scenes
-No recreational areas
=If you're running short on time but want to visit a Japanese garden, Hamarikyu is your spot.
Meiji Shrine Inner Gardens
- Google Maps
- Website
- JR Harajuku Station, JY19 Yamanote Line, Takeshita Exit. The entrance is located on the main approach to Meiji Shrine.
Entrance fee: ¥500
Meiji is the preeminent shinto shrine in Tokyo.
The shrine's inner gardens are unique in their history and design (see the website). The walking paths meander through dense forest, shadowing a pond home to a large variety of water birds.
In May, iris paddies bloom in bright blue and purple.
+Solitude
+Wildlife (bird-watching)
-The smallest of the parks on this list
=A perfect getaway for visitors looking for quiet time.
Rikugien Park
- Google Maps
- Website
- Tokyo Metro Komagome Station, Namboku Line (7 minutes on foot); Toei Mita Line, Sengoku Station (10 minutes on foot)
Entrance fee: ¥300
History pervades every carefully cultivated corner of Rikugien, one of the oldest parks in Tokyo, dating back to the early 18th century.
History and tradition aren't the only charms. It's one of the most compact of Tokyo's great parks, allowing you to stroll through a dozen or so different scenes in about an hour.
Alas, the cityscape around it is dull.
+Traditional design
+Compact
+Densely green
-Nothing of interest in the area
=If you enjoyed Hamarikyu and wants another experience with a denser, greener traditional park, Rikugien is a great option.
Tokyu Shibuya
- Google Maps
- Website
- JR Shibuya Station, Hachiko Exit (1-minute walk)
Tokyu Shibuya's food emporium is the best of a handful of emporiums in the neighborhood and conveniently located right below the train station.
It's a fairly typical confab of fresh and prepared foods. There's no specialty that sets it apart from others and no need to make a special trip.
+All foods covered
+Connected to Shibuya Station
-Few specialties
=If you're staying in the Shibuya area or around the station during meal time, it's a nice place for a meal.
Matsuya Ginza
- Google Maps
- Website
- Tokyo Metro Ginza Station, Ginza Line, A8 Exit (4-minute walk)
Matsuya is an old-style department store in the middle of Ginza. The exterior decor and merchandise sections have been upgraded, but the basement food emporium has an old-time feel. It's long, narrow and split into the traditional sections. There's nothing remarkable about its selection. Compared to the newer, upscale basement emporiums, it's a little narrow and the atmosphere a bit claustrophobic. But it's a nice stop if you want to roll back the clock and experience the traditional emporium.
+Location
+Standard selection with a few good specialty shops (pay by weight)
-Narrow, claustrophobic
=A quick stop here during a Ginza tour.
Takashimaya Nihombashi
- Google Maps
- Website
- Tokyo Metro Nihonbashi Station, Tozai Line and Asakusa Line, outside Exit B4
You'd expect more considering this is one of Tokyo's most venerable department stores.
It's a plebeian assortment of bento lunch foods, fresh foods and packaged gifts. There's nothing special in any of its corners. Even the bakeries, where we like to see some surprises and specialties from store to store, have a predictable selection.
+Maneuverable
+Connected to Nihonbashi subway station
-Predictable
=If you're in the Nihonbashi area and food emporiums are on your visit list, go straight to Mitsukoshi Nihombashi. There's no comparison.
Ginza Six
- Google Maps
- Website
- Tokyo Metro Ginza Station, Ginza Line, A2 Exit (3-minute walk)
This is the newest department store in Ginza, opened in April 2017 to replace Matsuzakaya.
The basement food emporium has some unique shops in a very spacious area, notably a few very good bakeries and a nice wine shop with glass wine offerings.
But this isn't an improvement over the traditional emporium.
In fact, what you gain in maneuverability with the slick interior and wider aisles is more than lost in the bustling excitement and vitality you find in the traditional emporium.
In a phrase, it's a little too little.
+Bakeries and wine
+Maneuverable
-A little boring
-Smaller selection of shops