When most people think of Japan and the best time to visit for beautiful nature scenery, they often think of spring during cherry blossom season. While this is a gorgeous time to visit, the autumn foliage season also offers impressive sights. With the changing fall tree colors, you won’t want to miss this exciting time. Below you’ll find the three best locations to see gorgeous fall foliage in Tokyo, Japan.
1. Ueno Park
Ueno Park is located in Tokyo, Japan, and is a century and a half old. This park houses 900 trees which means it provides epic views of changing autumn leaves during fall foliage season. The ideal time to view the golden yellow and red leaves is between the middle of November and the end of November. There are multiple spots in the park that are must-sees when visiting here.
Shinobazuno Pond
This pond is a great way to observe the autumn foliage Tokyo provides. You can rent paddle boats to ride around in on the pond. This allows you to monitor the changing tree colors from a different perspective. It’s an excellent activity for families and couples.
Suribachiyama Hill
This hill, which houses an old burial ground, offers many ginkgo trees. In the fall, the leaves of these trees turn a beautiful golden color.
2. Rikugi-En Garden
Rikugi Garden is another excellent spot to see the fall foliage at. This garden is located in Tokyo and provides both daytime views and evening views of the changing colors. At nighttime in the fall, the garden has the trees specifically lit up. They can be admired until 9 pm each night.
The best time to check out the fall leaves here is between November and the end of December. Other sites at the garden include tea houses that can be visited for an additional cost, a stunning pond and stream, and a stone bridge (Togetsukyo Bridge).
Note: It will take about an hour to traverse the whole garden.
There is a 300-yen cost for entry into this park – this includes views of the lit-up foliage in the evening.
3. Daisetsuzan National Park
This National Park is an excellent hiking spot and provides access to views of many different trees with changing leaf colors. Daisetsuzan National Park is located in Hokkaido and is often visited by locals instead of tourists.
This is an excellent spot for those who want to see the autumn colors without battling tourists or many locals. You can see these fantastic fall colors with a backdrop of mountains, hot springs, and even volcanoes. This park is full of natural wonders and is the perfect outing for a day trip.
The best time to visit is from September to late October.
Practice the art of Koyo, which is a term meaning to observe the changing Japanese fall colors. Each of the above locations will provide you with beautiful autumn leaf viewing and excellent ways to spend time with your family or even alone. Check out as many of these places as possible during your next fall visit.
