rikugien garden

rikugien garden, the best place for enjoying the autumn foliage in Tokyo

 

I went to Rikugien Garden (六義園) to see the autumn leaves at night. In Japan, many famous spots 

for autumn foliage have lights illuminating the leaves so that they can be enjoyed even at night, and Rikugien 

is said to be one of the best places for this in Tokyo. The nighttime autumn leaves I saw at Kiyomizu-dera Temple (清水寺) in Kyoto are still vivid in my memory, so I was determined to go see them again before the leaves disappeared.

 

 

Rikugien was originally the private garden of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a samurai during the Edo period. Later, it was 

purchased by Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi, who then donated it to the city of Tokyo. In 1953, it was designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty.

 

Rikugien is a classic strolling garden, featuring a central pond with paths designed for walking around it.

 

 

 

This was almost my first proper nighttime photoshoot. However, I was met with frustration here. I was reminded once again that shooting at night without a tripod is insane. I clung to anything that could provide support, whether it was a tree or a streetlamp, like a cicada, to stabilize my camera and take shots. Out of 150 photos, I was only able to salvage about 30.

 

There are resting spots like the one in the photo located throughout the garden, but they are not accessible at night.

 

 

                        The illuminations create a fantastic atmosphere for the autumn leaves.

 

 

 

They had put up wire netting to protect the pine tree branches from breaking under the weight of the snow, and it looked like a Christmas tree all lit up.

 

tea house in the garden

 

 

Every trip is enjoyable in its own way, but today was truly special. It was wonderful to breathe in the fresh air of the forest after a long time and immerse myself in the fantastic scenery.

Here's a tip for those who want to see the autumn leaves in Japan. In Tokyo, the peak of the autumn foliage is usually from late November to early December. Japanese weather forecast websites provide information on the autumn foliage season in the fall.

Also, Rikugien is one of the most famous places in Tokyo for beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring. In fact, most of the trees in the autumn foliage photos are cherry trees.

 

Please refer to Japanese weather forecast websites for the autumn foliage season.

https://tenki.jp/

日本気象協会 tenki.jp / 天気予報・地震・台風 - tenki.jp