Yoyogi Park & Meiji Jingu
Tokyo's most beloved park combines with the forested shrine of Emperor Meiji — a 700,000-square-metre urban forest created by planting 120,000 trees from across Japan in 1920. The combination of cherry-blossom picnics, festival markets, and the 100-year-old cedar avenue to the shrine gate makes this Tokyo's finest outdoor half-day.
1.5–2 hours
Free
Park open 24 hours; Meiji Jingu 5:00–18:00 (varies by season)
March–April (cherry blossoms), Year-round
Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote Line)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
Meiji Jingu Forest — 120,000 trees planted in 1920, now a self-sustaining old-growth urban forest
- 2
The torii gate is Japan's largest wooden torii — 12 metres tall, made of 1,500-year-old cypress
- 3
Cherry blossom season fills the park with 200 trees and Tokyo's most festive hanami crowds
Local Tips
Walk the forested path from Harajuku Station into Meiji Jingu before 8:00 AM for a near-wilderness experience in central Tokyo. Yoyogi Park's open lawn fills with picnickers on sunny weekends — great for people-watching. Free entry to both park and shrine.
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