Tokyo Autumn Leaves at Night: Koishikawa Korakuen and Rikugien Light-Ups
Tokyo Autumn Leaves at Night: Korakuen & Rikugien
For an autumn-leaves evening in Tokyo, choose by date. Plan A is the Koishikawa Korakuen night opening, November 13–24, 18:00–21:00 with last entry at 20:00; enter by the West Gate and leave by the East Gate. Plan B is the Rikugien night opening, November 25–December 6, 18:00–20:30 with last entry at 19:30, at ¥1,000 online in advance or ¥1,200 on the day. Korakuen's lights and projection show the leaves early, before the trees' own peak. Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is a daytime add-on to Rikugien, November 7–December 6, open until 17:00.
Hours below are regular schedules. Check the venue's calendar for holidays and special closures.
Which plan fits which dates?
Each plan runs on its own dates, so start with the calendar. Plan A, the Koishikawa Korakuen night opening, is on November 13–24. Plan B, the Rikugien night opening, is on November 25–December 6. Korakuen's run ends on November 24 and Rikugien's starts on November 25. The Kyu-Furukawa Gardens autumn leaves and roses event runs November 7–December 6, by day only.
What do the leaf forecasts say?
These are forecasts, not facts. In the Japan Meteorological Corporation's forecast of October 1, 2026, the best-viewing date for Tokyo's maple (iroha-kaede) is November 28, the same as the normal year. Weathernews's Tokyo spot page, as read on October 2, 2026, forecasts December 3 as the best-viewing date at Rikugien and December 4 at Koishikawa Korakuen. Korakuen's run ends on November 24, before all three dates. Rikugien's run, November 25–December 6, includes November 28 and December 3.
Plan A, November 13–24: what is the Koishikawa Korakuen night opening like?
The Koishikawa Korakuen night opening runs November 13–24, 2026, 18:00–21:00, with last entry at 20:00. The garden closes at 17:00 and reopens at 18:00 for the night opening.
The garden is at Koraku 1-6-6. At night, enter by the West Gate and leave by the East Gate; the operator says waits at the entrance can happen when it is crowded. A night ticket is required from junior high school age up, including for annual-pass and disability-certificate holders. Tickets are tax included. Advance tickets are ¥1,000 online, on sale from October 1 at 10:00 to November 12 at 23:59. Same-day tickets are ¥1,200 online, on sale from November 13 at 0:00 to November 24 at 19:30, and a limited number of cash-only tickets at the same price are sold at the West Gate window from 18:00 to 20:00 each day. Online tickets are sold through Seven Ticket, KKday and Asoview. The operator says the trees are only starting to take on their autumn colours, and that the lights and projection mapping depict the autumn-leaf scene ahead of time. Plainly: the lights and projection show autumn leaves early, before the peak. The West Gate is 3 minutes on foot from exit C3 of Toei Oedo Line Iidabashi Station and 8 minutes from the east exit of JR Iidabashi Station. The East Gate is 5 minutes on foot from the west exit of JR Suidobashi Station, 6 minutes from exit 2 of Korakuen Station (Marunouchi and Namboku lines) and 8 minutes from exit A2 of Toei Mita Line Suidobashi Station.
Edo strolling garden · Night opening Nov 13–24: 18:00–21:00, last entry 20:00; closes 17:00, reopens 18:00. West Gate in, East Gate out. Regular hours 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. · Night ticket required: advance online ¥1,000 (tax incl.); same-day online or West Gate window ¥1,200 (window cash only, limited); disability certificate + 1 carer ¥500. Regular ¥300 (65+ ¥150).
Plan B, November 25–December 6: what is the Rikugien night opening like?
The Rikugien night opening runs November 25–December 6, 2026, 18:00–20:30, with last entry at 19:30. The garden closes at 17:00 and reopens at 18:00 for the night opening, and only the night ticket gets you in.
Rikugien is at Honkomagome 6-16-3. Advance tickets are ¥1,000 and online only. Same-day tickets are ¥1,200, online or at the window, and the window takes cash only. Disability-certificate holders pay ¥500, and elementary school children and younger enter free. Online buyers enter through a priority lane, and the number of tickets sold per day, advance and same-day together, is limited. As of October 2, 2026, the operator had not announced when sales open or which site sells the tickets. The whole Japanese garden is lit, centred on the autumn-leaf areas, with photo spots in several places and projection mapping on the storehouse wall and in the bamboo grove, which is new this year. For food, stay inside the garden: a matcha and Japanese-sweets set at the matcha teahouse (吹上茶屋・心泉亭), and stalls and kitchen cars selling light food and drinks on the plaza beside the storehouse and near the site of Ginkatei (吟花亭跡). Rikugien is 7 minutes on foot from the south exit of JR Komagome Station, 7 minutes from Komagome Station on the Namboku Line and 10 minutes from Sengoku Station on the Toei Mita Line. There is no parking.
Poetic landscape garden · Night opening Nov 25–Dec 6: 18:00–20:30, last entry 19:30; closes 17:00, reopens 18:00. Regular hours 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. · Night ticket only: advance ¥1,000 (online only); same-day ¥1,200 (online or window, window cash only); disability certificate ¥500; elementary school and under free. Regular ¥300 (65+ ¥150) is separate.
Can we add Kyu-Furukawa Gardens by day before Rikugien (November 7–December 6)?
Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is a daytime stop only. Its autumn leaves and roses event runs November 7–December 6, 2026, 9:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30, and there is no night opening. Pair it with Rikugien on days from November 25 to December 6, when both are open; Rikugien reopens at 18:00.
The gardens are open 9:00–17:00 during the event, with last entry at 16:30. For the whole period, tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are banned, including in the Japanese garden.
Scenic taisho estate · Autumn leaves and roses event Nov 7–Dec 6: 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. No night opening. · ¥¥
Photograph the mansion and rose gardens early to avoid crowds.
🔒 +5 more insider tips in vibe
Are the leaves at their best during the Korakuen night opening?
No, the operator says the trees are only starting to take on their autumn colours, and that the lights and projection mapping depict the leaves ahead of time. The run is November 13–24.
Which gates do we use at Koishikawa Korakuen at night?
Enter by the West Gate and leave by the East Gate. The West Gate is 3 minutes on foot from exit C3 of Toei Oedo Line Iidabashi Station and 8 minutes from the east exit of JR Iidabashi Station. The East Gate is 5 minutes on foot from the west exit of JR Suidobashi Station, 6 minutes from exit 2 of Korakuen Station and 8 minutes from exit A2 of Toei Mita Line Suidobashi Station.
How much is the Rikugien night ticket?
The night opening runs November 25–December 6. Advance tickets are ¥1,000 and online only; same-day tickets are ¥1,200, online or at the window, and the window takes cash only.
Where can we eat at Rikugien?
Inside the garden: a matcha and Japanese-sweets set at the matcha teahouse, and stalls and kitchen cars selling light food and drinks on the plaza beside the storehouse and near the site of Ginkatei.
Is Kyu-Furukawa Gardens open at night?
No. Its autumn leaves and roses event, November 7–December 6, is 9:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30.
Before you go
Plan A, Koishikawa Korakuen, runs November 13–24; Plan B, Rikugien, runs November 25–December 6.
At Korakuen, everyone from junior high school age up needs the night ticket; enter by the West Gate, leave by the East Gate, and last entry is at 20:00.
Korakuen's lights and projection show the leaves early, before the peak.
Rikugien takes only the night ticket, ¥1,000 online in advance or ¥1,200 on the day, and last entry is at 19:30.
At Rikugien, food is inside the garden only.
Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is daytime only, November 7–December 6, with last entry at 16:30.
