# Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo

> Shinjuku Gyoen is a 58-hectare national garden a few minutes from Shinjuku station. It holds three gardens — Japanese, English landscape and French formal — plus a greenhouse and teahouse, and in spring it's one of Tokyo's best cherry-blossom spots. Entry is ¥500, free under 15. It's closed on Mondays, except in blossom seasons.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/shinjuku-gyoen

- City: [Tokyo](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo), Japan
- YesGo score: 33/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 1 h 30 min
- Opening hours: From 9:00; Oct–14 Mar until 16:30, spring and Aug–Sep until 18:00, 11 Jun–31 Jul until 19:00; closed Mon
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: ¥500; over-65s and students ¥250; under 15 free
- Winter hours: 1 Oct–14 Mar: 9:00–16:30, last entry 16:00
- Summer hours: Until 18:00; 11 June–31 July until 19:00
- Closed: Mondays (if a holiday, the next weekday)
- Open daily: 25 March–24 April and 1–15 November
- Getting there: Shinjuku-gyoemmae station (Marunouchi) or 10 minutes from Shinjuku
- Coordinates: 35.68717, 139.71064
- Facts checked: 09.11.2026

## Key facts

- **58.3 ha** — garden area, with a 3.5 km perimeter (source: en.wikipedia)
- **1906** — the year the garden opened in its present layout (source: en.wikipedia)
- **3 styles** — French formal, English landscape and Japanese gardens (source: en.wikipedia)
- **1772** — the Naito family completed a garden here in the Edo period (source: en.wikipedia)
- **Versailles** — the layout was by Henri Martinet of Versailles (source: en.wikipedia)
- **¥500** — adult entry; under-15s free (source: fng.or.jp)
- **Monday** — closing day, except in the spring and autumn seasons (source: fng.or.jp)
- **Sakura** — one of Tokyo's top cherry-blossom spots (source: travel guides)

## What is Shinjuku Gyoen?

**Shinjuku Gyoen** is a **58.3-hectare** national garden between Shinjuku and Shibuya. In the Edo period it was the estate of the **Naito** family, and later an imperial botanical garden. It opened in its present form in **May 1906**, laid out by **Henri Martinet** of Versailles.

The garden combines three styles: a **French formal** garden with plane-tree avenues, an **English landscape** garden with broad lawns and a **traditional Japanese** garden with ponds, bridges and a teahouse. There's also a large **greenhouse** of tropical plants. In spring it's one of Tokyo's best places for **cherry blossom**, and in autumn for red maples.

> **Opening days and rules** The garden is closed on Mondays (if Monday is a holiday, on the next weekday) and from 29 December to 3 January. In the blossom seasons — 25 March to 24 April and 1 to 15 November — it opens every day. Bags are checked at the gate: under the garden's rules you can't bring alcohol in. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

## How the garden works

There are three gates: **Shinjuku** (closest to Shinjuku station), **Okido** and **Sendagaya**. According to the official site, entry is **¥500** for adults and ¥250 for over-65s and students, with under-15s free. The garden opens at 9:00; closing time depends on the season: 16:30 from 1 October to 14 March, 18:00 in spring and August–September, and 19:00 from 11 June to 31 July.

The greenhouse keeps shorter hours — from 9:30, closing half an hour before the garden. Inside there's a café, a teahouse serving matcha, and plenty of benches on the lawns — people come here to relax and picnic, without alcohol.

## What to see

- **The Japanese garden** with ponds and a teahouse.
- **The English landscape garden** with its lawns.
- **The French formal garden** with a plane-tree avenue.
- **The greenhouse** of tropical plants.
- **Cherry blossom** in spring and **red maples** in autumn.
- **Views of Shinjuku's skyscrapers** above the trees.

## How to get to Shinjuku Gyoen

1. **Shinjuku-gyoemmae station** (Marunouchi line) — about 5 minutes to the Shinjuku gate.
2. **From Shinjuku station** — southeast exit, about 10 minutes on foot.
3. **Sendagaya station** (JR Chuo-Sobu line) — about 5 minutes to the Sendagaya gate.
4. **Kokuritsu-Kyogijo station** (Oedo line) — about 5 minutes to the Sendagaya gate.
5. **From Haneda airport** — train or limousine bus to Shinjuku, about 40–60 minutes.

## Spring or autumn

|  | Spring | Autumn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Highlight | Cherry blossom | Red maples |
| Open every day | 25 March–24 April | 1–15 November |
| Crowds | Very heavy | Heavy |
| Tip | Arrive at opening | Weekday mornings |

## How long do you need?

Allow **1.5–2 hours** for the garden, about 2.5 hours with the greenhouse and teahouse. It's the best escape from busy Shinjuku: just 10 minutes from the station, and quiet inside.

In the evening, head up the free observatory of the **Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building** in West Shinjuku. Anime fans know the garden from Makoto Shinkai's film 'The Garden of Words'.

## Is Shinjuku Gyoen worth visiting?

Yes: it's one of Tokyo's most beautiful gardens, with three styles in one, and entry is just ¥500.

The YesGo take: in cherry-blossom season it's very crowded, with long queues at the gates. Arrive at opening, remember the Monday closure and the 16:30 winter closing time, and leave alcohol at home.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Not a Monday (outside blossom seasons)
- [ ] Closing time for my month
- [ ] ¥500 for entry
- [ ] A picnic without alcohol
- [ ] The Government Building observatory in the evening

## Tokyo gardens and parks: compare and choose

Gardens, parks and historic sites in Tokyo rated by YesGo.

- [Tokyo Imperial Palace](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-imperial-palace) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · free
- [Hamarikyu Gardens](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/hamarikyu-gardens) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥300; over-65s ¥150

## Shinjuku in a day

Shinjuku Gyoen in the afternoon, the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatory in the evening, then Kabukicho. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Shinjuku Gyoen](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/shinjuku-gyoen) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥500; under 15 free
2. [Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-government-building) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free
3. [Kabukicho](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/kabukicho) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · free

## Good to know

Shinjuku Gyoen is not Yoyogi Park, nor the Imperial Palace East Gardens. 'The Garden of Words' is an anime set here, not a separate place.

## Tips

- Closed on Mondays — except in blossom seasons.
- In winter it closes at 16:30.
- No alcohol allowed.
- In sakura season, arrive at opening.
- Evening: [the Government Building observatory](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-government-building).

## Questions

### How much is entry to Shinjuku Gyoen?

¥500 for adults, ¥250 for seniors and students, free under 15.

### When is the garden closed?

On Mondays and from 29 December to 3 January; it opens daily in the blossom seasons.

### What are the opening hours?

From 9:00; it closes at 16:30 from October to mid-March, and at 18:00–19:00 in spring and summer.

### Can you drink alcohol?

No, the garden's rules ban alcohol.

### How do I get there?

Shinjuku-gyoemmae station (Marunouchi line), or 10 minutes on foot from Shinjuku.

### When do the cherry trees bloom?

Usually late March to mid-April; the garden opens daily then.

### How long do you need?

1.5–2 hours, about 2.5 hours with the greenhouse.

### What's nearby?

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatory and Kabukicho.

## How we checked

Prices, seasonal hours, closing days and open-daily periods are from the National Gardens Association's official site. The area, history and garden styles are from Wikipedia; we don't cover the garden's 20th-century history. The alcohol ban and gate names are from guides and the garden's site. Journey times are from guides.

## Sources

- National Gardens Association (fng.or.jp/shinjuku/en) — prices, seasonal hours, closing days, open-daily periods (official, checked 09.11.2026)
- English Wikipedia: Shinjuku Gyo-en — area, history, garden styles, Henri Martinet
- Travel guides — cherry blossom, gates, alcohol rules (unofficial)
- Wikidata Q776863 — coordinates

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