The Easiest Guide of Meiji Jingu Gaien Autumn Leaves Festival
Contents
Fast Facts
- Jingu Gaien is internationally popular as an autumn color spot.
- Famous for yellow maidenhair trees lined straight.
- Located in mid Tokyo City.
- Tokyo is a maze – it might be a place you don’t find easily.
In this article, I’d like to upload photos I took there in late November and write practical guides for travelers. Enjoy autumn in Tokyo!
- Photo Gallery
- Reviews of Maidenhair Tree/Icho Festival
- Practical Guide to Jingu Gaien
- MORE Autumn Leaves in Tokyo & Japan!
1: Photo Gallery
First, I’ll show you many photos so you can feel the real atmospheres. It was so beautiful!
The trees are amazingly triangle, aren’t they?
When I visited there, some leaves were still green, but most were fully yellow – it depends on the sunshine whether autumn comes early or late for each tree.
The straight path is led to the old building. It is an art museum. Have you seen it somewhere?
As far as I know, travel guidebooks often use a photo in which maidenhair trees are lined and this museum is seen beyond in a single frame.
The reason why I didn’t is that the event organizers told visitors not to stop halfway in the street, where we can take such pics. I saw some people still taking photos in the street where cars go (or they simply didn’t understand Japanese). I’m not one of the event organizers caring traffic accidents and their responsibilities, but it’s true that safety is so important when traveling. Don’t risk yourself. Watch around.
Anyway we stroll in the tunnel of yellow leaves!
In fact, Jingu Gaien is part of Meiji Jingu Shrine in Harajuku. “Gaien” means “outer garden” in Japanese.
So beautiful!! I felt so happy to be surrounded by natural yellow!
2: Reviews of Maidenhair Tree/Icho Festival
Actually, I had just one concern in my mind when I decided to go there. Are maidenhair trees familiar to you? If so, you know that their ginkgo nuts smell bad when they get crushed… No matter how beautiful yellow leaves are, I knew that a perfect fantasy couldn’t happen so easily on the earth.
But it was NO PROBLEM! It looks like the event organizers wiped off all the nuts to offer a perfect fantasy to us. So you can expect beautiful views without the annoying reality at all.
Events, events, events. There were many food stands around there. I saw a pottery market, too.
They’ll be interesting if you want to see a real life in Japan.
Jingu Gaien is a popular place in autumn, so I advise you to go there in the morning (ex: 10 a.m.) to avoid crowds.
In conclusion, I don’t say it is the very best place for autumn leaves in Tokyo, but it’s true it’s really beautiful. If you are planning to visit there, have a wonderful day!
3: Practical Guide to Jingu Gaien
How to Get to Jingu Gaien
There are 2 stations near Jingu Gaien.
First, please open The Easiest JR Train Maps & The Easiest Subway Maps of Tokyo.
Shinanomachi Station
JR Chuo Line trains stop at Shinanomachi.
The trains are yellow or orange. Chuo-Sobu Line means same when going to Shinanomatchi. Major stations to catch a Chuo Line train are Tokyo, Kanda, Akihabara and Shinjuku, etc. (Go to The Easiest JR Train Map of Tokyo.)
If you get off at Shinanomachi, you’ll start from the back of the museum. If you like to see its face first, I advise you to use a subway.
Aoyama Itchome/1-Chome Station
Ginza, Hanzomon and Oedo Subway Line trains stop at Aoyama Itchome Station. Exit 1 is the nearest. A 2 minutes walk to Jingu Gaien.
If you are on Ginza Line, Gaienmae Station is all right, too.
Ginza and Hanzomon Lines connect popular places in Tokyo. You can catch a train at Shibuya, Omotesando, Shimbashi, Ginza, Otemachi/Tokyo, Ueno, Asakusa, etc. (Go to The Easiest Subway Maps of Tokyo.)
Google Maps
I advise you to print out the map or bookmark this article.
4: MORE Autumn Leaves in Tokyo & Japan!
- Koishikawa Korakuen Garden – In my opinion, this Japanese garden is the best place for autumn leaves in Tokyo!
- Rikugien Garden – This Japanese garden might be the best place, too! You can have a cup of matcha in the traditional style. Really wonderful.
- Kamakura – Kamakura is samurais’ old capital, which is a great day trip destination from Tokyo today. Famous for the Great Buddha. Really beautiful in autumn.
- And more!
