There are so many Sakura viewing spots in Tokyo during the Japan cherry blossom season, including the Ueno Park, Meguro River, Yoyogi Park, Chidorigafuchi, Inokashira Park, etc. among which the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is highly recommended to enjoy the Tokyo Sakura in springtime.
During the Tokyo cherry blossom season, you can't miss the Shinjuku Gyoen Cherry Blossom. With its patches of cherry blossoms, unique gardens, and Japanese manga locations, Shinjuku Gyoen is worthy of a visit for your Japan tour. Submit your preference and our professional travel expert will customize the best Japan cherry blossoms tours for you now.
Table of Contents
1. Shinjuku Gyoen Cherry Blossom Viewing
2. Appreciate the Japanese Royal Garden
3. Visit the Shooting Place of "The Garden of Words"
4. Enjoy Viewing Sakura and Shopping at the Same Time
5. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Info
1. Shinjuku Gyoen Sakura Viewing with Japanese People
Shinjuku Gyoen has more than 1,500 cherry blossom trees and there are a wide variety of cherry blossoms (more than 70 kinds) in Shinjuku Gyoen. It is also said to have the longest cherry blossom blooming period in Tokyo, (Further reading>>>Japan Sakura season dates), so you won't miss the best cherry blossom viewing time. Cherry blossoms in Shinjuku Gyoen are said to bloom as early as February in early spring and to be in full bloom in March and April when it will immediately become a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing for tourists and locals alike during the Tokyo cherry blossom season. And the best time to view the Shinjuku Gyoen Sakura in 2024 is likely from March 23 to March 30, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency Cherry Blossom Forecast 2024 announced on January 10, 2024.
As soon as you enter from the main gate of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, tall old cherry trees come into view; everywhere is full of cherry flowers. When the breeze blows through, you will see a colorful scene of falling cherry blossoms, which is the beauty of spring in the anime! If you happen to be there when the cherry blossoms are at their full blooming, you'll feel strongly that the Shinjuku Sakura are really beautiful and the crowds are really big! You may be able to see cherry blossom trees in other places outside of Japan, but there are fewer of them that are so tall, and you can get the feeling of being in a sea of cherry blossoms in the Shinjuku Gyoen. (Related reading>>> Best Spots to View Japanese Cherry Blossom)
The Shinjuku Gyoen's cherry blossom trees in full bloom are clustered into a beautiful wall of blossoms; the low-hanging branches of the cherry blossom trees poke out into the water, creating a pink reflection. Underneath the cherry trees, people sit on the ground and drink and talk to fully enjoy the Hanami in Japan.
NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building is a landmark building in Shinjuku. On the lawn, you can take a picture of the building and the Shinjuku Gyoen cherry blossoms in the same frame, and the hazy reflection in the water is like an oil painting.
2. Appreciate the Japanese Royal Garden
In fact, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was a royal garden before it was transformed into a civic park in Tokyo, so when you come to Shinjuku Gyoen, you can get a glimpse of the royal garden in Japan. According to the style, Shinjuku Gyoen is divided into Japanese Garden, English Garden, and French Garden, etc. Each garden features different feeling. The scene of "The Garden of Words" basically focuses on the Japanese garden, and the classic images of the east house, the vine hut, the veranda bridge, and the water can all be found here. If you want to take the same route as the hero, then enter through the Shinjuku Gate.
The English garden has a large lawn and well-manicured trees, and many visitors sit on the ground, so if you have plenty of time to enjoy the Shinjuku Gyoen cherry blossoms festival, it's a good place to have a picnic or lie down for a rest. In summer, the roses in the garden are in full bloom, featuring another beautiful scene.
3. Visit the Shooting Place of "The Garden of Words"
If you've seen Makoto Shinkai's "The Garden of the Leaves", then a tour of the Shinjuku Gyoen makes extra sense. The hero and heroine meet in the rainy Shinjuku Gyoen, the pavilion in the movie has always been a very popular place to visit. There, you will find that it is really too reductive. In Japan cherry blossoms season, when you visit the Shinjuku Gyoen, in addition to the different plants, you will really have the feeling of being in the film.
4. Enjoy the Sakura Viewing and Shopping at the Same Time
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is very close to downtown Shinjuku. As the transportation is very convenient, you can first go to admire the Shinjuku Gyoen Sakura and then go to Shinjuku for shopping and eating. There is also a Starbucks near Shinjuku Gyoen, so you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing while having a cup of coffee. During the Shinjuku Sakura season, there are a lot of limited-edition snacks for sale in Shinjuku Gyoen Park, so you can buy some if you are interested.
5. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Info
Address: 11 Naitomachi, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0014, Japan
Access: Get off at Shinjuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line or at Shinjuku Gyoen Station on the Marunouchi Subway Line.
Opening Hours: Open 9:00-16:30, ticket sales until 16:00.
Closed: Every Monday, and closed around New Year's Day (December 29-January 3)
Admission: 500 yen for adults, 250 yen for people under 15 years old, free for people under 6 years old.
Tel: 03-3350-0151
Tips: Shinjuku Gyoen is very huge, when your Japan Sakura tour heads to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, you should reserve at least half a day to fully enjoy yourself there.
Conclusions
If you're a big fan of Makoto Shinkai's work, you won't want to miss Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden during your Japan trip. This garden, which is a combination of Japanese and Western gardens, becomes a sea of pink in spring, resembling a dreamlike scene from an anime.