Tokyo is known to many as the most crowded city in Japan in particular and Asia in general. When mentioning this place, the first image that comes to mind is often the bustling Shibuya intersection with thousands of people walking on the street at the same time. Trains packed with office workers in dark suits have become the "symbol" of Tokyo. However, right in the heart of the city, there is a quiet garden called Shinjuku Gyoen.
The garden is 58.3 hectares wide, with more than 20,000 ancient trees, including about 1,500 cherry blossom trees.
More than 400 years ago, this was part of the estate of King Naito, during the Edo period. After the war, this place became a national park, divided into three areas, with garden styles of three countries: Japan, England and France.
Shinjuku Gyoen has always been considered a top destination in Tokyo. Director Makoto Shinkai, known for the blockbuster “Your Name”, made a short animated film set here and named it “The Garden of Words”. Since then, many people have named the park after the movie title.
The vast green space has many lakes interspersed between three gardens in three styles. The entire campus is surrounded by important financial buildings of Tokyo. All four seasons of the year, city residents as well as tourists come here to admire the natural beauty right in the middle of the bustling urban area.
The most beautiful moment of the day at Shinjuku Gyoen is probably in the afternoon, when the sunlight gradually sets, turning the whole garden into a giant carpet of sunlight, making everyone want to lie on the grass to rest or sit by the lake to draw pictures or read books.
If you come here on a rainy day and sit next to the wooden hut by the lake, you will feel like you are the main character in the cartoon "The Garden of Words" because the scene in the movie takes place on a rainy day.
On sunny days, families, couples or groups of friends can practice camping and relax outdoors.
The garden is open every day except Mondays. If Monday is a national holiday, the garden is closed the following day. Opening hours are from 9:00 to 16:30. The garden has three entrances: Shinjuku, Okido, and Sendagaya. You can get there by subway; the nearest station is Shinjuku-sanchome, exit C1, and it is a four-minute walk to the garden.
