6 hours Ago By Jes Kalled
Some of Japan's best autumn foliage destinations are just a train ride away. Located a short walk (or skip if you’re excited) from Komagome Station, these gardens—well known as a top cherry blossom viewing spot, too—don’t skip out on the koyo. In addition to beautiful bridges, colorful trees and old Edo vibes, Rikugien Gardens is known for its autumn illumination.
This year’s illumination is from November 22nd to December 4th beginning at 6 p.m. and finishing at 8:30 p.
m. Don’t miss those colors! The best place to chill year-round? Yoyogi Park. Bring a group of friends, a french bulldog, some blankets, a six-pack of cider and pop a squat for some (autumn leaves viewing) Of the places in Tokyo to see foliage, this is a place where you can kick back and take it all in at your own pace.
Yoyogi Park, for those of you not in the know, is about a five-minute walk from Harajuku station. Keep a day or two open this fall for an impromptu koyo sesh. Created in 1906, the University of Tokyo’s beautiful ginkgo avenue is lined with trees transplanted from the Koishikawa Botanical Garden.
Originally, ginkgo trees weren’t common for street landscaping, so it was quite unique at the time. As it was lengthened over the years, even more ginkgo trees were added, and by the time Yasuda Auditorium was completed at the end of the avenue in 1925, the project was finally realized. A stroll down this avenue in the fall is definitely a must-do! This beautiful Japanese garden is in Suginami Ward and was developed in 1981 in the former home of music critic Otaguro Motoo.
The rows of ginkgo trees and over 100-year-old maples are absolutely stunning when they change colors! Don’t miss the charming Western-style building that Otaguro built as his workroom back in 1933. It’s now a memorial museum, and you can see things like his cherished 1900 Steinway piano. This park is the perfect mix of nature and history.
A popular destination for locals and tourists despite the season, Shinjuku Gyoen is a breathtaking vast garden that, in our modest opinion, is most splendid when colored in red. Take a stroll through the park’s endless alleys, have a rest on a bench and enjoy this vivid natural scene that is beyond gorgeous. Though Shinjuku Gyoen has three different gardens—English, French and Japanese—the autumn leaves are particularly stunning in the Japanese garden and Momijiyama (maple mountain) on the park’s eastern side.
Feel a sense of calm wash over you as you walk through the Niomon Gate entering into the Kuhonbutsu Joshin Temple. As you explore the temple grounds, you can take your time soaking in the beautiful autumn leaves alongside a classic temple scenery. It’s the kind of place where you can just unwind and appreciate nature’s beauty and spirit.
Honestly, you can start enjoying the autumn vibes right after you step out of Kuhombutsu Station! It’s a hidden gem you won’t want to miss this fall. Think bridges, maples, ponds, historic buildings and a Kyoto vibe. This traditional Japanese garden in Yokohama is beautiful in any season but especially vibrant in autumn.
The inside of the houses is open to the public, so you can feel free to take a peak and submerge yourself in the historic site. Accessible by bus from JR Yokohama Station and JR Negishi Station, this location is perfect for those in need of some happy Edo inspiration. A lot of trees.
A lot of autumn leaves. The folks in Saitama know the spoils of this lovely national park. For those in Tokyo, this is a simple day trip away.
Because this park is huge, there is a lot to do—even nearby mountains to hike, such as Mt. Mitsumine and Mount Mitake—both of which have beautiful shrines at their summits. Also in the area is the Valley, a beautiful locale famous for its foliage reflections in the Arakawa River.
If boats are your thing, you can even drift downstream in one. P.S.
Beware of cute bears! claims to have the best autumn colors in Japan, and while we thought the glorious spot belonged to Kyoto, a walk through Gora is enough to persuade you that they’re not joking. Start your autumn journey at Lake Ashinoko, then stop by Sengokuhara, where you can enjoy the colors as you play golf or relax in an onsen, then head to Gora and Kowakudani, the natural hot springs resort. The ultimate autumn view, however, is at Gora’s Hakone Museum of Art, where the leaves are reflected in every object, pond and bamboo tree in the museum’s vast garden.
If that’s not enough, find your way toward the nearby Hakone Gora Park, a spot where you can enjoy the autumn colors while sipping a traditionally brewed cup of hot green tea..
