Koishikawa Korakuen Autumn Leaves — photo by 公益財団法人 東京都公園協会 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped

Koishikawa Korakuen Autumn Leaves 2026 Confirmed

小石川後楽園の紅葉 — Tokyo (Kanto)

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Koishikawa Korakuen is the older of Tokyo's two surviving Edo-period daimyo gardens, begun in 1629, and its autumn set piece is Tsutenkyo — a vermilion bridge buried under maples that turn deep red from late November. The garden compresses famous Chinese and Japanese landscapes into a small space: an Oigawa stream, a miniature Kiso road, a rice paddy. Peak colour runs late November into the first week of December, later than the mountains west of the city. Admission is 300 yen, or 150 yen if you are 65 or over, and the garden opens 9:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30.

Background

Construction began in 1629 under Tokugawa Yorifusa, lord of the Mito branch of the Tokugawa family, and was completed by his successor Mitsukuni. The name Korakuen comes from a Chinese phrase about a ruler who worries before his people and takes his pleasure after them. The garden is designated both a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a Special Historic Site, a double designation held by only a handful of sites in Japan.

Getting there

The garden is a three-minute walk from Iidabashi Station on the Toei Oedo Line, and about eight minutes from the JR Sobu Line and Tokyo Metro exits at the same station. Korakuen Station on the Marunouchi and Namboku lines is a similar distance. There is no visitor parking.

Tips

• Tsutenkyo bridge is what almost everyone comes for — arrive on a weekday right at the 9:00 opening if you want it without a queue.
• Admission is 300 yen, or 150 yen for over-65s; last entry is 16:30, so this is a daytime visit rather than an evening one.
• The maple grove and the upper Oigawa stream colour a few days after the rest of the garden, so a visit in the first week of December is rarely wasted.
• Tokyo Dome sits directly next door, which makes an odd but convenient pairing if you are travelling with children.

Last verified against the official source: Sat, September 12, 2026