Reviews
Add your review-
Historic park makes a good respite from summer heat
Hibiya Park may not be very big, but it has a variety of features and historic significance making it worth a visit when you're in the business district. The park designed by a German-educated landscape gardener was opened in 1903 and though features have been added it retains essentially the same design. It's also the first western-style garden and park constructed in Japan. Historical interpretation signage reveals locations associated with Edo-era feudal lords, the moat converted into a pond, and a sunken garden in the European style. The park's water features, dense shade from mature trees, and lawns make it a good place to get relief from summer heat.
-
on Aug 29
Combine with a visit to the Imperial Gardens
Hibiya park is south of the Imperial Gardens and as such they go well as a pair. It is really beautiful in Autumn and looks lovely at night when they light it up. But I am not as big a fan of it as others who have reviewed it here. However, there is no denying that it and the imperial gardens offer a welcome respite from the concrete jungle that surrounds them. Particularly when there are seasonal flowers in bloom.
-
on Nov 23
Well maintained, but...
It is sad to think that Hibiya Park is one of the best in Central Tokyo, because the park itself is small without much to do. It provides that feeling of "sanctuary in a city" as you look around and realize that you are being surrounded by a bunch of tall office buildings. The park itself is very well maintained too, but it also means a lot of the grass areas are blocked off, which to me kinda loses a part of what parks are for. Overall, if you are in the area, it is a nice place to sit down for a while, but it is not a park that I would travel for.
-
on Oct 2
Central Tokyo park packing plenty into a relatively small space
Hibiya Park packs quite a lot into a relatively small area. I suppose the two main areas of the park are a European style garden where people like to take a rest or spend their lunch break on one of the many benches that line the edge. The other main area centers on a fountain and event space. There’s a bit more concrete here and this is where many of the park’s events are based. There are plenty of other styles and features to Hibiya Park making it a nice place for a stroll and a bit of a rest - I particularly like the narrow pathways around the pond / fountain in the western section of the park. With a lack of large areas of grass though, this isn’t the kind of park where you would set up a picnic. Hibiya Park is a nice place to take in the cherry blossoms. In my experience it doesn’t see the crowds of, say, Ueno Park and because of a lack of places to sit, it favors a stroll under the blossoms rather than a picnic and party. There are a couple of cafes, one at either end of the park. They look nice from the outside but I've never been in. There are toilets here, an exhibition space and tennis courts. Yurakucho is just east of the park - maybe eat there instead. I wouldn’t go right out of my way to visit unless there is an event here that is of particular interest but if you’re in the Yurakucho, Ginza, Marunouchi area of Tokyo and the weather is fine, Hibiya Park will reward a visit. Hibiya Station gives you easy access to the east side of the park, Kasumigaseki Station for the west / southwest.
-
on Sep 29
Underrated park, especially in autumn
There are so many stunning parks and gardens in Tokyo, and some of them get overshadowed by the "big name" ones. Hibiya Park is still quite well known, but I think it flies under the radar a bit. It's incredibly stunning in autumn when the leaves are at their best, and there's no admission fee unlike some other Tokyo-based fall foliage destinations. Keep it in mind for koyo season.
-
on Jul 26
One of the best parks in Tokyo?
Tokyo's Hibiya Park might have lost a star due to the fact that this isn't one of those parks that you can go to and kick a ball around. However, if you go in knowing this already, then I think the park can come out with 5 stars. Why 5? Because it looks fantastic; a mixture of Japanese and European styles (as far as I can tell) that are equally impressive, plenty of places to sit back and relax, a manageable size, surrounded by some of Tokyo's most illustrious buildings and yet a place to get some peace and quiet, and easily accessible from metro stations. On top of this, Hibiya Park is host to some very quaint looking eateries, and some great events. There's a beer festival here, the fisherman's festival, and live music pops up every now and then. You can also find a kind of snack stand here, if the cafes are out of your budget. Having said that you can't kick a ball around this park, you can hit one! With a tennis racket. There are some courts here. A lot of the office workers from the surrounding towers come to take their lunch break here, and there's always someone around. This isn't a threatening park; there are no secluded sections, and the area is very well-to-do. That said, Hibiya Park does have political and social undertones to it, being the scene of major riots after the Japan - Russia wars in the early 20th Century. I my opinion, Hibiya Park is a good 'park' option for any number of occasions/situations. Highly recommended.
TonetoEdo
on Aug 20