TOKYO INSIDER: Searching for Autumn Leaves in the City
- Published on : 10/12/2025
- by : Joshua
- Youtube
Daibutsu at Tennoji, Tokyo
@Joshua for Japan Experience
For the first volume of our TOKYO INSIDER series, explore the capital of Japan with Joshua, a member of our editorial team, as he makes his way throughout Tokyo in search of some of the best spots to see autumn leaves! The world’s most populated metropolitan area has plenty of nature to appreciate!
Autumn leaves in Japan
Following the long and humid summers of Japan, the brisk chill of windy autumn days is very much welcome. But in addition to the weather, there are a number of different indicators for the changing season: earlier sunsets, kabocha at the supermarket, sweet potato and chestnut flavored everything at cafes, Barbour jackets on display at vintage shops in Koenji, and, of course, the leaves changing from deep greens to fiery hues of gold, orange, and burgundy.
Autumn has always been my favorite season in Japan, and frankly, it is hardly a difficult choice—the coziness, the fashion, the atmosphere, the fresh, crisp air. All of this is topped off with the sight of these autumn leaves, known as "koyo" (紅葉) in Japanese.
Out in the countryside, forest-covered mountains erupt into dynamic colors, but even within the sprawling urbanscape of Tokyo, autumn leaves are by no means a rare sight. In fact, with how walking-oriented this bustling metropolis is, there are a medley of pockets host to fall foliage to be admired. A stroll through the city in autumn is much more than just about the commute.
There are many different types of trees in Japan that are notable for their changing foliage, and many change in phases and at different times of the year. With a long, hot summer in 2025, the koyo came much later than usual in Japan, with the iconic maple leaves (momiji) not reaching peak coloration until December 2nd, as predicted by general forecasts. Some notable trees you’ll notice in fall are the following:
Mount Fuji in autumn
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- Momiji/Kaede (Japanese Maple): With their distinctive leaf shape and bright red coloration during fall, these are likely the most iconic of autumn leaves in Japan. Their senescence happens later in the year.
- Ichou (Ginkgo): Another tree with strong associations with Japan, the leaves of ginkgo trees transform into a bright, illuminating golden yellow color in the cooler months. When ginkgo trees reach full senescence, they appear to almost glow in the sunlight.
- Nanakamado (Japanese Rowan): Changing colors earlier than other trees and erupting into blazing orange and red, these trees are indicative of the transitioning seasons. However, they shed their leaves quicker due to their earlier transition.
- Keyaki (Japanese Zelkova): Also changing colors earlier, the leaves of keyaki trees change to a deeper brown, almost rusty color, adding earthy tones to the natural landscapes. They often keep their leaves well into December.
Koyo hunting in Tokyo: The perfect way to enjoy an autumn day in the city
Ikebukuro
At Japan Experience, we offer quality accommodation that provides a unique environment within more residential areas that provide the same hospitality one would expect at a hotel. Pictured below is the newly renovated Yuyake House, located in Ikebukuro. With traditional Japanese decor, a fully accessible kitchen, laundry facilities, and a lovely view of the surroundings. Guests will be serviced by our reliable and knowledgeable Travel Angel, Ben, who will happily familiarize you with the area and traveling in Japan as a whole.
In terms of the day’s itinerary, Ikebukuro serves as a great launching point for exploration. It is very centrally located with one of the world's most prominent train stations that is well-connected to the rest of the city. Additionally, there is a medley of cafes and restaurants in the area for an initial coffee and meal for the day. For example, Comfort Stand is located near a major intersection of Ikebukuro and is only a five-minute walk from Yuyake House. I picked up a simple batch-brew coffee and croissant just to fill my stomach a bit before walking around.
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- Rikkyo University
Also not far from Yuyake House is Rikkyo University, one of the most premier private universities in Tokyo. Featuring 20th-century western architecture and ivy-wrapped buildings, it stands out within the Ikebukuro urban setting, but even better, during fall, the trees on the campus and the hanging ivy change colors. The meshing of this natural scenery with the campus aesthetic is reminiscent of New England Ivy League campuses in the United States during this time of year, but located right in the heart of Tokyo!
The school campus grounds themselves are accessible to the public, making for a great stroll when the cooler months hit. There are a number of different green plazas on the campus grounds that are great for admiring the architecture.
Rikkyo University in autumn, Ikebukuro
@Masako T on Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0
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Before setting off to explore the city, travelers should also be prepared and have internet access to properly navigate around and stay connected! At Japan Experience, we offer a number of internet options, such as pocket Wi-Fis, SIM cards, and E-SIMs!
Yanaka
From Ikebukuro, I took the JR Yamanote Line to Nippori Station, just 15 minutes away. The Yamanote Line is the most prominent train line in Tokyo, operated by Japan Railways and going in a loop around the city. It services some of the most prominent stations within Tokyo’s rail network, such as Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinagawa.
The line is accessible via IC cards but also is covered by the Japan Rail Pass since it is under the JR network umbrella.
The station is located on the brink between Arakawa-ku and Taito-ku, lesser-populated wards of Tokyo, often cited as some of the most representative parts of Shitamachi.
This is the side of Tokyo that is closer to the bay, historically home to more blue-collar workers and a more traditional, understated and retro atmosphere.
The Yanaka area is within the immediate vicinity of Nippori Station, with its west exit leading straight to the Yanaka Ginza shopping street and Yanaka Cemetery, where I strolled around to look for some fall foliage.
Nippori Station, Tokyo
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Travel around Japan using public transportation!
Yanaka Cemetery
Walking around a cemetery may not immediately seem like a proper place to spend some leisure time, but Yanaka Cemetery is visited by locals and travelers alike for casual strolls and relaxing. Spanning around 25 acres, the cemetery is accented with plant life and foliage throughout, as well as wandering cats. There is a central lane lined with trees that change colors during fall, including ginkgo trees; however, by the time I had gone, many of the trees on this central lane had unfortunately grown barren.
That being said, the cemetery was still well worth wandering, as a few ginkgo trees held on to their rich glow, and smaller momiji trees accented the grounds. Since the day was clear, Tokyo Skytree was well within view.
Aside from just walking through, Yanaka Cemetery is notable for the grave of the final shogun of the Tokugawa clan, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. There are directions to the mound marked through the cemetery, and the site itself is rather modest, located behind a pair of gates adorned with the Tokugawa clan crest that features three leaves of the aoi plant. There were bright splotches of orange from the deciduous trees that surrounded the grave when I visited.
Tokyo Skytree from Yanaka Cemetery
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Tennoji Temple
Located right on the grounds of Yanaka Cemetery, Tennoji is a Buddhist temple that dates back all the way to the year 1274. On its premises is a giant Buddha statue (daibutsu) and right in front of it are a number of momiji trees.
When I went, these maple leaves were a bold, bursting crimson that looked incredible against the backdrop of the patina-jade colored statue. Some of the momiji were also at the yellowing stage of senescence, creating some diversity amongst the foliage.
There are also well-maintained, bright ginkgo at the temple that contrast beautifully with momiji. By the entrance, ripe and plump yuzu citrus were hanging from a tree right by momiji in the middle of their color transition.
Daibutsu at Tennoji
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Daibutsu at Tennoji
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Changing koyo at Tennoji
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Koyo and yuzu at Tennoji Temple
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Momiji and ginkgo at Tennoji Temple
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Tennoji Temple, Yanaka
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Asakura Museum of Sculpture
Located nearby Yanaka Cemetery and a bit off of Yanaka Ginza is the Asakura Museum of Sculpture, dedicated to the works of renowned 20th-century sculptor Fumio Asakura. The museum is located out of Asakura’s historic home, with both his works and installations of the home on display.
At the center of the museum is a well-curated, open-air Japanese garden with momiji trees. At the time of visiting, they were beginning to show their rich red shades, and from the second floor there are particularly beautiful views of it. Photography in the museum is quite restrictive, with only two select spots where it is allowed; one of them is right by the garden on the ground floor. The second location is on the second floor, which also has a clear view of Tokyo Skytree in the distance.
The roof of the museum is a garden that was tended to by Asakura back in the day, and it offers gorgeous views of the surroundings and delicate, crisp breezes that are indicative of fall days.
- General admission price: 500 yen
- Hours: 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM/Closed on Mondays and Thursdays
- Address: 7 Chome-18-10 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0001
Tokyo Skytree from Asakura Museum of Sculpture
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Ueno Park
Just another short ride on the JR Yamanote Line is Ueno Station, a major stop located in Taito-ku that also services Shinkansen bullet trains. There is an exit at the station that goes out to Ueno Park, one of the most popular communal green areas in the city. There are a number of prominent museums, shrines, and temples on the park grounds, making it a major hub for culture and leisure.
Right by the “green park” building near the Chuo-dori entrance of the park is an enormous ginkgo tree. At the time, it had 80% of its leaves still on the branches, forming a giant mass of glowing gold that overlooked the plaza below.
Bright momiji line the main foot traffic route of the park. During spring, this same line is very popular for cherry blossom viewing, making Ueno Park a popular destination for enjoying the outdoors throughout the year.
Continuing down the route, there is a pocket of ginkgo trees across from the Ueno Seiyoken building. The falling ginkgo leaves created a blanket of lustered yellow that attracted many park-goers for photos. The tall trees provided nice, atmospheric shade accented by the glowing light of the autumn sun.
Ginkgo leaves in Ueno Park
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Autumn leaves in Ueno Park
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Ginkgo in Ueno Park
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Autumn leaves in Ueno Park
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Ginkgo leaves
@Joshua for Japan Experience
- Lunch at Izuei Umekawa-tei
Izuei Uekawa-tei is tucked away in a more quiet part of the park, with traditional Japanese architecture and surrounded by koyo in fall. There’s also a huge ginkgo tree in its vicinity, with falling ginkgo leaves all around.
The restaurant specializes in unagi kabayaki, freshwater eel that is butterflied, grilled over charcoal, glazed with a sweet and savory soy sauce, and then served over rice. There are also a number of other signature Japanese dishes featured on the menu.
I ordered the Una-don (eel over rice in a bowl) and tempura set that cost a little over 5,000 yen. The eel at Izuei Umekawa-tei leans more on the savory side compared to the sweeter, thicker glazes of other restaurants. The tempura featured vegetables and seafood such as shrimp and whitefish.
In the tatami room I was seated in, there was a nice view of a small Japanese garden right outside the window. On the second floor of the restaurant, the maple leaves right outside make for a great view while indulging in a great meal.
During the autumn and winter months, eels grow more fatty and plump, making them great delicacies for the colder months. After walking around Ueno Park, a nice, tummy-warming and rich meal here is a great experience.
Unadon and Tempura set
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Izuei Umekawa-tei
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Garden outside Izuei Umekawa-tei
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Toshogu Shrine
From Izuei Umekawa-tei, the path leads right to the main building for Toshogu Shrine. This shrine dates back to 1627, and since then, it remains largely original.
The inner walls of the shrine are accessible with a 700 yen general fee that goes towards maintaining the shrine and other cultural spots in Tokyo.
One of the standout characteristics of the shrine is the gold paneling of the walls. In the distance, tall ginkgo trees are illuminated in the sunlight, and the gold detailing of the shrine buildings accentuates this coloration, especially when the sun begins to lower.
Toshogu Shrine
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Toshogu Shrine
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Ema at Toshogu Shrine
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Hamarikyu Gardens
- General admission price: 300 yen
- Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM daily (4:30 PM last entry)
- Address: 1-1 Hamarikyuteien, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0046
From Ueno Station, I took the Ginza Line out to Shimbashi Station. The Ginza Line is part of the Tokyo Metro subway network. Because of this, it isn’t covered by the Japan Rail Pass; however, it can still be ridden with IC cards and is actually covered by the Tokyo Subway Ticket that allows for unlimited access to subway lines for periods of 24, 48, and 72 hours.
Out from Shimbashi Station, I headed to Hamarikyu Gardens, which is actually a fair walk away at around 20 minutes. However, one of the best things about autumn in Tokyo is how pleasant the walks are, and the temperate weather makes for an enjoyable trek out.
From Shimbashi Station the initial scene of the park comes in the form of a large wall of trees over a moat. The gardens are located right by Tokyo Bay, and the moat is filled with water from there.
Entering the gardens costs 300 yen for general admission and covers an area of 250,216 square meters. Though visiting the park didn’t entail being surrounded by colorful koyo, there were a few pockets of nice autumn foliage that were noteworthy.
While the park is lush with foliage, the elegant architecture of the surrounding skyscrapers overlooks the gardens. The famous Conrad Tokyo hotel is one of the most recognizable buildings visible from the grounds.
Nakajima-no-ochaya Tea House
Nakajima-no-ochaya
@Joshua for Japan Experience
The garden is built around Shiori-no-ike Pond, and at the center of this body of water is Nakajima-no-ochaya Tea House. Two bridges extend from the gardens out to the tea house, though at the time of visiting, one of them was under renovation and construction. From the opposite end, a grouping of autumn leaves served as a backdrop for the tea house.
At the tea house itself matcha and wagashi (Japanese-style confectionary) can be enjoyed. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and taking my time sipping on hand-brewed matcha and an aromatic, yuzu-flavored sweet was great for just killing time. The set cost 1,000 yen, with the wagashi changing by the season. The interior features traditional Japanese paper doors and tatami mats. Shoes must be removed and put into lockers when entering.
Shinjuku
Trekking out to Shinjuku deviates a bit from what one would expect when looking for autumn leaves. Shinjuku is one of the most bustling central hubs in likely the world’s most bustling city, but that’s likely why visiting it on a cool autumn night is worthwhile. There’s a unique air to this area, rich in commerce, nightlife, and energy. Japan Experience actually offers a night walk of the Shinjuku area led by an expert guide who will show you the staple attractions along with their own personal recommendations.
Explore Shinjuku at night with an expert guide!
Shinjuku has many secrets to uncover! Our expert guide is there to help you see the key spots of this bustling district as well as pull back the curtain to some of its hidden gems!
Shinjuku
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From Shinjuku, I wanted to end my day of koyo-hunting a bit more up north in the city at Rikugien Garden for their nighttime autumn illumination. For visitors looking to follow a similar itinerary, it’s important to note that starting the guided Shinjuku night walk at the typical time of 7:00 PM would make it difficult to head up to Rikugien in time for the light-up. However, for those who wish to book a private night walk tour, we can try our best to organize things to fit your schedule.
Omoide no Yokocho
Omoide no Yokocho at night
@Joshua for Japan Experience
One of the essential spots in Shinjuku that is also featured in the Shinjuku night walk is Omoide no Yokocho, a narrow alleyway nearby Shinjuku Station that hosts dozens of restaurants and izakayas. The atmosphere here is distinctly inner-city Tokyo, and relevant to the day’s theme, autumn leaf decorations hang from above and celebrate the season within the narrow alley. Though the autumn leaves are artificial, it does make for a distinct scene indicative of the season, so I still think its a noteworthy addition to the koyo-hunting adventures.
This is a popular spot for foodies, of course, but also photographers looking to capture the essence of Shinjuku social life.
Rikugien Park
Departing from Shinjuku Station, I once again took the JR Yamanote Line and rode it for around 15 minutes out to Komagome Station. Just 10 minutes from this station is Rikugien Park. During autumn, the park hosts an illumination event that has the park open past its usual hours, and the koyo are lit up to enjoy at night! For this year, unfortunately, the illumination was only held until December 9th, but it’s a great event to keep note of for years to come.
When I arrived, there was a good number of visitors. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online; however, day-of tickets can be purchased with no issues.
- General admission price: 1,200 yen for day-of/1,000 yen for advance purchase
- Hours: 6 PM to 8:30 PM (7:30 PM last entry)
- Address: 6 Chome-16-3 Honkomagome, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0021
There is a designated route that flows through the 88,000 square meter garden grounds, with different trees accented with dynamic lighting. A few projection light shows are also displayed throughout the park.
More towards the park center, the most notable scenery comes from the autumn leaves reflecting in the garden’s pond waters and, of course, the glowing autumn moon looming overhead.
A few food trucks are set up on the grounds offering dishes like oden and dango for visitors to relax while they eat and admire the scenery. I had a stick of mitarashi dango, a skewer of chewy rice cakes glazed with a sweet and thick soy sauce. Warm and roasted with a great smoky flavor, it was perfect for a chilly autumn evening.
Rikugien Autumn Illumination
@Joshua for Japan Experience
Rikugien is located in Toshima ward, the same ward as Ikebukuro, and getting back to Ikebukuro is done easily with a 5-10-minute train ride back on the JR Yamanote Line
Honorable Mentions for Koyo in Tokyo
The places I listed were the only ones I was able to visit within this one-day itinerary, and there are plenty of other well-known locations throughout Japan’s metropolitan capital that are great for seeing autumn leaves! Depending on what fits your schedule best or what piques your interest the most, be sure to explore Tokyo as much as possible, especially with the fall weather!
Ginkgo Avenue (Ichou Namiki): This iconic avenue leads up to the Japanese Diet Building and consists of tall-standing ginkgo trees. A popular spot for people to take pictures and make short-form content, especially for high school students. Located in Meiji Jingu Mae, near Aoyama.
Shinjuku Gyoen: One of the most famous parks in all of Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyoen features a diverse set of foliage as well as a greenhouse with great views of the iconic Docomo Tower nearby.
Mizumoto Park: Known for its over 2,000 dawn redwood trees that reflect in the waters, the scene is something one would expect out of a national park, but it's still located within the city’s 23 wards!
Mount Takao: A bit farther out from the city center, it’s hard to believe this area is still considered Tokyo. For a taste of autumn in the more rural parts of Japan, it’s well worth the day trip from the city center.
- Gotokuji Temple: Said to be the birthplace of maneki neko (lucky cats), the temple grounds are densely decorated with figures of the iconic and fun feline. The surrounding maple trees with the unique scene of the waving lucky cats is one that is distinctly Japan.
Exploring Tokyo as a whole holds a lot for visitors! This is literally the world's most populated city, so there's an abundance of nature and fascinating attractions to discover! For this, be sure to book one of our Tokyo Discovery tours and explore the city with help from a local guide who knows the ins and outs of the capital's winding streets!
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