Gallery - Rikugien Gardens, Tokyo - Rikugien Gardens Special Nighttime Viewing

Tokyo’s Rikugien Gardens is set to welcome visitors to a special autumn leaves nighttime viewing event from Wednesday for the first time in three years following the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Regarded as one of the best spots to view autumn leaves in Tokyo, the garden in the capital’s Bunkyo ward will be opened after dark for visitors to explore a new nighttime viewing route. The route will take in Rikugien’s maple trees and tea houses as well as views of the circuit-style, or “kaiyu,” garden that include a view across the garden’s pond from beyond the famous Togestsukyo stone bridge. Designed in the early 18th century, Rikugien’s pond, artificial hills, and other features were intended to reflect the world as portrayed through the classical form of Japanese poetry known as waka. During the nighttime event, a wall of the garden’s traditional kura storehouse will serve as the canvas for a projection mapping installation for which the creators have compiled designs based on six autumn-themed waka poems. The name ‘Rikugien’ itself is derived from the six categories of waka poetry. (Waka poetry-themed projection mapping, Rikugien Gardens, Tokyo. Photo taken Nov. 21, 2022.) With visitors limited to 2,500 people for each day of the Nov. 23 to Dec. 4 running period, garden operators the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association are hoping the event will afford people the opportunity to take in the garden and its features at an easy pace, especially after the restrictions on holding such events during the pandemic. “Of course, three years is a long time and I’m sure people have been waiting and looking forward to the return of this event,” Naoyuki Higuchi, who heads the Rikugien service center, said during a preview of the event on Monday. “We hope visitors will be able to get some photos of the autumn leaves and enjoy the value-added content of the event,” he said. Leaves on the garden's maple trees are expected to reach their autumnal peak from late-November through early-December, according to garden operators. (Early autumn leaves, Rikugien Gardens, Tokyo. Photo taken Nov. 21, 2022.) (Rikugien Gardens and pond, Tokyo. Photo taken Nov. 21, 2022.) The Rikugien Gardens Special Nighttime Viewing event runs from Nov. 23 to Dec. 4, 2022 between the hours of 18:00 - 20:30. Event tickets must be purchased in advance online. Rikugien is one of nine Metropolitan Cultural Heritage Gardens in Tokyo. In 1953 the garden was designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Rikugien Gardens Special Nighttime Viewing event page