Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Outdoor | Avg price: ¥175 | English Available: None (Unknown)
Reviews
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Cheap but Not Sure on the Value
Shinjuku Gyoen is a hard place to review. On the one hand, it is cheap to enter for just a few hundred yen. The park is big and you can see a clear sky. It is peaceful enough as well to have a relaxing time. On the other hand, many of the fields forbid you from entering. It is easy to get lost and many of the paths lack interesting things to see. Coming here also requires a short train ride from Shinjuku. The couple of times I went, I would not say that they were time or money wasted, but they also did not leave strong impressions on me. If I want to see nature, I might go to Yoyogi Park instead, which is free.
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on Jan 27
Worth the small admission fee
Yes, there are plenty of parks in Tokyo (and across Japan) that are free to enter, but I think Shinjuku Gyoen is worth the small admission fee (only 200 yen). I've been there on a number of occasions and during different seasons, and have always found it beautiful and therapeutic to stroll the grounds. Tokyo (and especially Shinjuku) can feel overwhelming at times - the hustle and bustle and crowds galore tire me out. If I have things to do in the area, I try and fit in some time at the gardens here to offer some balance to my day.
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on Jul 1
Shinjuku Gyoen Mae National Park during Cherry Blossoms
So we visited this wonderful, spacious park during the Spring season where all the beautiful cherry blossoms are the star of the park. During our stay at the park, we found a lot of tourists (like us) enjoying the magnificent views brought by the beautiful flowers of the cherry blossoms. As a first timer to experience cherry blossom, I really have a good time walking and wondering around the park. Though it is a very big park, I really don't felt so tired because of the stunning views plus the chill weather, not so hot but also not so cold, just a good weather to enjoy walking around and enjoy the scenery. Aside from the cherry blossom, the park also offers a view of pond (lake) at the center. There are also other flowers around the park where their blooming seasons differs from each other. And that what this park makes wonderful, they offer a lot of very good views all year round. So if you are just around the area, you must visit the place and check out those beautiful flowers.
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on Jun 13
Classy park with lots of space but a bit formal
I've been to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden on a number of occasions. Undoubtedly, it's a very nice park to look at and is well kept. In fact, it seems odd that a park like this should be located in Shinjuku. It doesn't really reflect the atmosphere of this part of Tokyo. I think Shinjuku Gyoen would be a nice place to go on a date, or bring along visiting elderly parents to Japan (like I did). It's very civilised in that way. The 200 yen entrance fee seems a bit snobbish for me. I feel like a park is somewhere that shouldn't have an entrance fee. Still, maintaining the manicured condition of this place must take some doing, so I understand the need for the extra money. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden isn't really place to mess around, and play sport. Better to go somewhere else in Tokyo for that. I've been here during the cherry blossom though, and it was pretty chaotic. If you want to get your own picture of Japanese people feverishly taking pictures of petals, this is a good place for that. A nice place for a one-time visit or a special occasion, but as a regular, go-to park in Tokyo, look for somewhere else, that's free.
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on Feb 13
Great location, but over-rated for cherry blossoms
I had heard great things about this park as a place to view Cherry Blossoms, but I was a little disappointed. The location is great, the park is really beautiful and the 200 yen entry fee is reasonable, but I personally would not go back during cherry blossom season. There are far nicer cherry blossoms elsewhere. However, out of cherry blossom season it is much more pleasant and a nice place to enjoy some green and get away from the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku city. Shinjuku Gyoen is a national garden. It is very pretty and meticulously maintained, but from the point of view of a parent it has too many rules. You can't even throw a ball, never mind ride a bike. I understand why they have these rules, but if you are looking for somewhere to let the kids have a run around and a bit of fun, this is not the place. You can picnic there and it is a popular activity in the park. It is crazy busy during cherry blossom season and you have to queue to get in and sit among throngs of people. Last year we queued for 20 minutes. They check your bags as you go into the park; you are not allowed bring alcohol in. They have English information brochures in the entrance area. They also have an official English webpage. There is also an information point there showing what flowers are in season for each month. The park opens from 9 am to 4 pm. The restaurants have slightly different hours; the information is on their website.
JapanRamen
on Dec 25