Rikugien Garden
- Garden/Green Space/Nature
- Heritage/Temple/Shrine
The why: One of Tokyo's most beautiful Edo-era landscape gardens — 88 miniature scenes from classical poems around a central pond, and a top-tier autumn color destination.
Gotcha / logistics: The convenient Someimon Gate is only open during a few weeks in autumn and spring. At other times use the main gate, a 5-10 minute walk from Komagome Station.
Rikugien (六義園) is considered among Tokyo’s most beautiful Japanese landscape gardens. Built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Rikugien literally means “six poems garden” and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems. The garden is a fine example of an Edo Period strolling garden and features a large central pond surrounded by man-made hills and forested areas, all connected by a network of trails.
Exploring the Garden
Rikugien is quite spacious, and it takes about an hour to cover the garden’s entire network of walking paths at a leisurely speed. The trails wind around the gardens, through forests and open lawns, and lead to several teahouses open to the public. Fukiage Chaya teahouse along the pond’s northwestern shore is a pleasant spot to have matcha tea while looking out over the water.
Autumn Colors
One of the best times to visit Rikugien is in autumn when the numerous maple trees turn the garden into one of Tokyo’s best autumn color spots. The views are particularly beautiful around the stream by the Tsutsuji no Chaya teahouse, around the Togetsukyo Bridge, and from the Fujishirotoge viewpoint. Colors typically peak from late November to early December. Evening illuminations during autumn are especially atmospheric.
Spring
Rikugien is also lovely in spring when flowering trees and shrubs bloom. The most notable are the weeping cherry trees near the main gate (typically late March to early April) and the azalea bushes along the central pond (April to May).
Getting There
Rikugien’s main entrance gate is on the eastern corner of the park, about a 5-10 minute walk south of Komagome Station on the JR Yamanote Line or Namboku Subway Line. The more convenient Someimon Gate is only open during a few weeks in autumn (late November to early December) and spring (late March to early April).
Hours: 9:00–17:00 (entry until 16:30). Evening light-up until 20:30 during autumn colors and cherry blossoms. Closed: December 29 to January 1. Admission: 300 yen (higher during seasonal illuminations).
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