Escape the hustle and bustle of the city in Tokyo’s top parks and gardens. With a population of 14 million, there is no shortage of gorgeous green spaces and plush parks for locals to escape in.
From the lakeside setting of Ueno park (complete with swan pedalos) to the tranquility of Yoyogi Park and its Meiji Jingu, there are lots of gardens and parks to escape city-life.
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All over the city, from Shinjuku to Harajuku, there are historic parks and some nice outdoor areas like Odaiba Marine Park.
From giant gardens to rooftop terraces, here is our guide to the best Tokyo parks and gardens with photos.
Plan My Japan tip – Many of Tokyo’s parks and gardens are free to visit, but some do charge a small admission fee to help with upkeep and maintenance costs.
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Tokyo Parks and Rooftop Gardens
1. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
One of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was once a private residence before opening to the public in 1946.
We were fortunate enough to visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden on a crisp Tokyo winter afternoon when the skies were clear blue with no clouds – magical!
There are several landscaped lakes and indoor botanical gardens and conservatories to explore plus the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Rakuu-Tei tea-house.
If you are more of a coffee or Starbucks fan, one of the most beautiful Starbucks in Tokyo can be found here (more so for the view outwards) – Starbucks Coffee Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
Entrance and admission to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden costs 500 Yen, as of Summer 2024 – there are ticket gates and machines at several of the garden gates.
Read our full guide to Tokyo’s Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden >
Once there, you explore by yourself or download an app for your own guided tour of the garden >
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2. Yoyogi Park
Containing the famous Meiji Jingu shrine, Yoyogi Park is where the locals go to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
It began life as the Tokyo Olympic Village in the 1960s before becoming a pretty public park and well-used recreation space.
A green oasis in the city and covering over 130 acres, Yoyogi Park is buzzing at the weekends with families, joggers and young groups (plus really cute dogs, often in prams).
Yoyogi Park is a popular Tokyo cherry blossom / sakura spot in Spring and red gingko tree hotspot in Autumn.
Be sure to check out the Meiji Jingu Consecrated Sake Barrels (‘Kazaridaru’ near the main entrance), an offering to the shrine deities and a popular photo spot.
Yoyogi Park is free to visit and is one of the biggest urban parks in Tokyo.
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3. Ueno Park
Perhaps Tokyo’s most famous park (especially during cherry blossom season), Ueno Park is a popular place for families given its lakeside setting, Ueno Park Zoo plus a lake full of cute swan pedalos and rowing boats to hire.
Ueno Park is also famous for the museums located inside it including the Tokyo National Museum and the National Science Museum – we also spotted several food markets located in the park, selling lots of delicious Japanese food to try.
We were lucky enough to visit Ueno Park several times during cherry blossom season and it was such an incredible spot.
There are hundreds of cherry trees which locals and tourists picnic beneath. However, people start to lay their picnic clothes first thing in the morning so by lunch, you cannot see the grass any more – sake drinking is very popular too. Kanpai!
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4. Hamarikyu Garden
For us, Hamarikyu Garden was a gorgeous green gem and one of our top things to do in Ginza – so peaceful and quiet with beautiful buildings, this was such a nice way to escape the hustle and bustle of Ginza and its busy roads.
Originally the site of the Tokugawa’s family home in the 17th century, Hamarikyu Garden became open to all after it was turned into a public park and garden in the 1940s (a small admission fee applies).
One of the unique features of the garden is the central moat and tidal pond (“shioiri-no-like) which receives water from Tokyo Bay – it is the only such tidal garden in Tokyo.
Wonderful to walk around with beautiful bridges and orchards that change every season, the highlight is the Hamarikyu Garden traditional teahouse where you can enjoy brews with views and partake in a typical Japanese tea ceremony.
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5. Kyu-Yasuda Gardens / Former Yasuda Garden
Ryogoku has several gorgeous green gardens and peaceful parks but this is one of the best – quiet and usually only frequented by locals, Kyu-Yasuda Gardens.
The centre-piece of the Former Yasuda Garden is an ornate pond that you walk around, crossing traditional Japanese style bridges and spotting koi carp and turtles as you go (plus the occasional duck).
We visited on a sublime spring morning and were treated to a beautiful blue sky and incredible reflections on the pond – you can even see the Tokyo Skytree and surrounding cityscape in the distance.
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6. Hibiya Park
A nice way to escape the usual business of Ginza, Hibiya Park is a green gem of a garden and public space that often hosts events like the Tokyo Christmas Market, open air concerts and sporting events.
Hibiya Park highlights include a 500 year Gingko tree, the historic Shisei Kaikan building plus the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. It is a nice spot for autumn leaves in Tokyo too.
In the winter months, Hibiya Park also plays host to the Tokyo Christmas Market, Japan’s largest Christmas event and market that includes loads of European style market stalls and Christmas food, plus a huge Christmas tree and illuminations.
We went to the Tokyo Christmas Market and it was pretty good fun (and incredibly busy and a bit pricey for food).
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7. Odaiba Marine Park
Also known as Tokyo Beach, this city seascape is a 800 metre artificial beach that offers stunning views and is a prime place for a picnic or alfresco walks.
A superb sunset spot, Odaiba Marine Park is a gorgeous green space and public park where you can enjoy watersports (but swimming is prohibited).
A nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Tokyo DiverCity and Decks Tokyo Beach malls with a great view of Rainbow Bridge, this is also where you jump aboard the Odaiba to Asakusa water boats and shuttles.
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8. Sumida Park
A nice little park to escape the business of Asakusa, Sumida Park blooms into life every spring with some epic displays of cherry blossom / sakura.
It is a small stretch of riverside parkland and a nice way to see the cruise boats and a cool view of the Tokyo Skytree and surrounding skyline. It is also the home to the annual Sumida River fireworks display every July.
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9. Nakano Shiki no Mori Park / Nakano Central Park
Whilst not the most beautiful of parks or worth a special visit, Nakano Shiki no Mori Park is one of Nakano’s nicer green areas and a perfect spot to eat your street-food or have a park picnic.
If you fancy a coffee or snack but haven’t bought anything with you, you’ll also find a pleasant eatery here called J. S. Pancake Cafe.
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Tokyo Roof Gardens and Shopping Mall Terraces
If you aren’t able to get to a large gardens or park in Tokyo, many of the malls have rooftop spaces and gardens with incredible cityscapes. Some of the best include:
10. Shibuya Parco Rooftop Garden
Shibuya’s sparkling and shiny shopping mall, Shibuya Parco has so many good stores to browse, from e-sports cafes to Shibuya Pokémon Center, plus a basement with multiple restaurants and bars.
As Shibuya doesn’t have a lot of green spaces, head to the top of Shibuya Parco for a sublime rooftop garden that is free to visit and a great way to see the sunset.
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11. Seibu Rooftop Garden Ikebukuro
One of Tokyo’s largest free roof terraces located atop Seibu Department Store, this Ikebukuro rooftop garden is a gorgeous green space with water features, including a lily pond and fountain (swish).
Grab a seat on one of the benches and enjoy some alfresco snacks from the nearby food kiosks – talk about a treat after shopping!
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12. Ginza Tokyu Plaza
One of Ginza’s newest malls which opened in 2017, Tokyu Plaza Ginza is a superb shopping centre with over 120 stores to explore across 13 floors plus has some incredible food and dining options.
Head onto to the free Kiriko Rooftop garden on the top floor of Tokyu Plaza Ginza for superb views of Ginza – we’d rate this as the best place to view the to view the Ginza Yon-chome from up high.
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