Rikugien Garden Autumn Leaves 2026
Last updated: July 28, 2026. Typical viewing times and details below are compiled from official park, temple, city and tourism-association websites (linked at the end of this page). The dates of annual night light-ups are set each year — check the official site before you travel.
A classic Edo-period stroll garden where maples and ginkgo color around the central pond and hills, best known for its autumn evening light-up.
Key Facts
| Typical peak | Late November to early December |
|---|---|
| Best months | November–December |
| Location | Bunkyo, Tokyo |
| Nearest station | Komagome Station (JR Yamanote Line / Tokyo Metro Namboku Line) |
| Admission | Garden admission is 300 yen (general); the autumn nighttime special viewing requires a separate ticket (advance 1,000 yen / same-day 1,200 yen in 2025). |
| Night light-up | Late November to early December (exact 2026 dates set each year — confirm on the official site) |
| Official site | https://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/rikugien/ |
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Highlights
- The 'Teien Momiji no Rikugien' special nighttime viewing illuminates the maple areas and reflects color across the pond.
- A designated Edo-period daimyo stroll garden built around a large central pond, giving many angles on the fall color.
- Illuminated maples, projection onto the earthen storehouse wall, and photo spots set up through the garden after dark.
Where to See the Autumn Leaves
Rikugien Garden (daytime) (Paid)
The stroll garden's paths circle a central pond and hills where maples, ginkgo and enkianthus color in late autumn.
About a 7-minute walk from Komagome Station.
Autumn nighttime special viewing (Paid)
A separately-ticketed evening opening during the peak weeks with the foliage areas lit up; timed-entry tickets are sold online in advance and same-day.
Same entrance; extended evening hours run to 8:30pm with final entry at 7:30pm during the event.
Getting There
About a 7-minute walk from Komagome Station on the JR Yamanote Line or Tokyo Metro Namboku Line.
Crowd & Timing Tips
- The night light-up is very popular; buy the timed-entry ticket online in advance rather than queuing on the day.
- Weekday daytime visits are far calmer than the illuminated evenings.
Autumn Illumination
Late November to early December The exact 2026 dates are announced each year, so confirm them on the official site before planning an evening visit.
About Rikugien Garden
Rikugien was built from 1695 over seven years by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a close advisor to the fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, as a 'garden of six poems' evoking classical waka verse.
See more autumn-leaf spots: Kanto Autumn Leaves 2026 · Japan Autumn Leaves Guide 2026