Hello! (@chiropiyo0331) here.
This time I’ll introduce the autumn leaves at the vast national government park, Showa Kinen Park, which spans Tachikawa and Kunitachi in Tokyo.
At Showa Kinen Park you can enjoy seasonal scenery such as the ginkgo avenue and the Japanese garden, but when the autumn leaves season arrives, the ginkgo avenue shines golden and creates a magical atmosphere.
In particular, the Katarai Ginkgo Avenue has ginkgo trees planted along about 300 m, and the grand view is breathtaking.
“What are the autumn leaves at Showa Kinen Park like?”
“Is it worth going despite the crowds?”
“Is it illuminated at night?”
I visited Showa Kinen Park during the day to see the autumn leaves and stayed to enjoy the evening illumination, so this article is based on firsthand experience.
It will definitely be useful if you’re thinking about going to see the autumn leaves at Showa Kinen Park.
I’d be happy if you read to the end.
When Is the Best Time to See Autumn Leaves at Showa Kinen Park in 2023?
On a blue-sky day, let’s go see the autumn leaves at Showa Kinen Park ♪
The yellow leaves glow, and it’s so beautiful!
[2023 Autumn Leaves Peak Period]
Peak: around November 6 – around December 8
Types: maple, ginkgo, metasequoia, zelkova, Lindera glauca, Chinese tallow, London plane, bonsai garden, and more
The peak period at Showa Kinen Park is from early November to early December, and maples and ginkgo start to change color from early to mid November.
For peak color, mid to late November is recommended.
However, the best time varies with the climate.
Here’s a forecast of the peak timing based on this year’s weather.
2023 Showa Kinen Park Autumn Leaves Peak Forecast
[2023 Autumn Leaves Forecast]
Color starting: around 11/1 (Wed)~
Peak: around November 11 (Sat)~
Leaves falling: around December 2 (Sat)~
* Timing may change depending on the weather.
Showa Kinen Park is in western Tokyo, so compared with autumn leaf spots in central Tokyo (Shinjuku Gyoen, Rikugien, etc.), keep in mind that the season is about 1 to 2 weeks earlier.
Autumn Leaves Highlights at Showa Kinen Park
Showa Kinen Park covers a vast area about 39 times the size of Tokyo Dome, with spots such as the Japanese garden, Waterfowl Pond, and the Canal, but the spots where you can enjoy autumn leaves are relatively limited.
Canal Ginkgo Avenue
Visible right after you enter from the Tachikawa Gate, the Canal Ginkgo Avenue is about 200 m long, with a beautiful contrast against the canal, and is a popular photo spot.
Katarai Ginkgo Avenue
The spot most beloved by the greatest number of people as the park’s autumn highlight.
Stroll slowly through the golden tunnel and enjoy taking photos.
Japanese Garden
A Japanese garden covering about 10 ha. Many kinds of trees are planted, such as maple, ginkgo, and takanotsume, so you can enjoy splendid autumn leaves in fall.
Autumn Night Walk Overview
Showa Kinen National Government Park also holds an autumn leaves illumination event. Night walks run from 16:30 to 20:30.
At the Katarai Ginkgo Avenue, a show with music synchronized to lights runs from 17:00 to 20:00.
To enjoy the autumn night walk, you need to buy a Japanese Garden Illumination ticket.
Autumn Night Walk Price
The autumn night walk at Showa Kinen National Government Park costs ¥1,100 for adults and ¥600 for elementary and junior high students (sold from 1 week before until 20:30 on the day).
This is the night illumination ticket for the Japanese garden inside Showa Kinen National Government Park, and park admission is separate.
The Katarai Ginkgo Avenue is also illuminated, butit costs nothing extra: you can see it with only the park admission fee.
| Type | Ticket window | Web |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | ¥1,300 | |
| Elementary & junior high students | ¥700 |
Night illumination tickets are sold at “Komorebi no Ie” near the Japanese garden entrance.
If you buy a web ticket in advance, a discount applies, and you won’t need to line up at the crowded ticket window, and you can enter just by showing the QR code you purchased to the staff at the Japanese garden entrance.
Autumn Night Walk: Illuminated “Katarai Ginkgo Avenue”
The Katarai Ginkgo Avenue is illuminated from 17:00.
Unlike in the daytime, many people gather to see the more glamorous ginkgo foliage.
There are 4 types of illumination, with fantastical LEDs lighting up at set intervals.
• Warm yellow illumination (about 7 min)
↓
• New blue-and-laser show (about 4.5 min)
↓
• Vivid yellow and white (about 4.5 min)
↓
• Colorful & rhythmic (about 2 min)
The best match for yellow ginkgo is of course yellow illumination, and many people enjoy taking photos with a camera in hand.
Blue illumination feels cold and, unlike Christmas illuminations, isn’t very pretty, while purple is a warm, gorgeous, beautiful color.
It only lights for 2 minutes, so don’t miss it!
Autumn Night Walk: Illuminated “Japanese Garden”
Illumination of the Japanese garden began in 2020, and the illuminated autumn leaves reflected on the water are especially beautiful.
The Japanese garden at night gets quite cold when the wind blows, so dress warmly, for example in a light down jacket.
You can bring a tripod to take photos, but it’s crowded, so you always need to be considerate so as not to bother others.
Without sunlight, the water surface reflecting the autumn leaves is a breathtaking, moving sight!
Autumn Night Walk: “Washi Umbrella Objects”
They aren’t autumn leaves, but to mark the park’s 40th anniversary a special event is being held near the Japanese garden, so stop by after viewing the garden.
Illuminated washi umbrella objects create a fantastical scene.
Near the Japanese garden entrance there’s a free washi umbrella rental, which is great for taking photos in the Japanese garden.
Crowds During the Autumn Leaves Season at Showa Kinen Park
The sight of the trees turning red, orange, and yellow is so fantastical and charming, isn’t it?
Every famous autumn leaves spot tends to be crowded, so what are the crowds like at Showa Kinen Park during the autumn leaves season?
The peak autumn leaves at Showa Kinen Park are usually from mid to late November, and on weekends and the Labor Thanksgiving Day holiday during this period it’s packed with people.
In the highlights I introduced, the Canal Ginkgo Avenue, Katarai Ginkgo Avenue, and Japanese Garden are the 3 most crowded places, and on weekends and Labor Thanksgiving Day they’re crowded at any time of day.
It isn’t so crowded that you can’t walk, but when taking photos you always have to be mindful of others and take turns, and having other people in your photos is unavoidable.
If you plan to use the photos for official shoots, I recommend visiting on a weekday.
The autumn night walk also tends to be more crowded than during the day,and even on weekdays nearby students and university students can come after class, so it gets quite crowded.
In particular, the Katarai Ginkgo Avenue illumination can be viewed with just the park admission fee, so there are simply a lot of people and it can be a bit stressful.
Food stalls and shops selling warm drinks in particular have lines even on weekdays, so I recommend bringing a warm drink in a thermos.
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