Park sights in Tokyo
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Institute for Nature Study (Shizen Kyōiku-en)
Although the 200,000 sq metres of this land was the estate of a daimyō some six centuries ago and was the site of gunpowder warehouses in the early Meiji period, you’d scarcely know it now. Since 1949, this garden has been part of the Tokyo National Museum and aims to preserve the local flora in undisciplined profusion. There are wonderful walks through its forests, marshes and ponds, making this one of Tokyo’s least known and most appealing getaways. And there is a bonus: admission is limited to 300 people at any one time.
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Ueno-Kōen (Ueno Park)
Tokyo’s oldest public park has several names: its Sunday name, which no one ever uses, is Ueno Onshi Kōen; some locals dub it Ueno no Oyama (Ueno Mountain); and English speakers call it Ueno Park. Whichever you prefer, Ueno-Kōen makes for a pleasant city escape. There are two entrances to the park: the main one takes you straight into the museum and art gallery area, a course that might leave you worn out before you get to Ueno’s temples. For these, it’s better to start at the southern entrance between JR Ueno Station and Keisei Ueno Station, and do a little temple-viewing en route to the museums. From the JR Station, take the Ikenohata exit and turn right. Just around th…
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Shinjuku-Gyōen (Shinjuku Park)
Though Shinjuku-gyōen was designed as an imperial retreat (completed 1906), it’s now definitively a park for everyone. The wide lawns and diverse design (the garden applies French, English and Japanese horticultural principles) make it a favourite for urbanites in need of a quick escape. To make an afternoon of it, head for the east side where the glassed-in greenhouse displays subtropical waterlilies the size of party platters. Alternatively, park yourself in the southern part of the park in the traditional teahouse. Expect lots of company during cherry-blossom season; however, Shinjuku Park is easily one of the top blossom-viewing spots in Tokyo.
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Yoyogi-kōen
Weekend picnics in Yoyogi-kōen are the perfect way to stumble upon the cool and unusual, from shamisen (three-stringed lute) players to practising punk rockers and everything in between. The area was once home to the American headquarters during the occupation after WWII. Later, Tange Kenzō gave the area a new vibe when he created the swirling Yoyogi National Stadium for the 1964 Olympics. Today, this 53-hectare woodland is at its best on a sunny Sunday in spring or autumn when it teems with local families and friends.
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Kitanomaru-Kōen (Kitanomaru Park)
This large park north of the Imperial Palace grounds is home to a few noteworthy museums as well as the Nihon Budōkan. Westerners know the 14,000-plus-seat Budōkan as Tokyo’s legendary concert hall for big acts from the Beatles to Beck, but it was originally built as the site of martial arts championships (judō, karate, kendō and aikidō) for the 1964 Olympics ( budō means ‘martial arts’). These arts are still practised and exhibited here today.
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Hibiya-Kōen (Hibiya Park)
Built around the turn of the 20th century at the height of Meiji era, this leafy park situated just west of Ginza was Tokyo’s first Western-style park. At the time, Western design was the fashion, and it doesn’t take long to notice the similarities to public spaces in London, Paris and New York. If you’re in need of a break on a quiet afternoon, find your way to one of the two ponds for a nice cup of tea at a pavilion.
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