Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Tokyo (must see)

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a must-see site in Tokyo. This large, public garden has an area of about 144 acres (58.3 hectares) with three distinct landscapes: English countryside, French formal and traditional Japanese.

The garden offers more than 20,000 trees. More than 1,500 of these are cherry trees, which makes the garden a popular spot for tourists in March and April when the trees are in full bloom.

Flowers are planted to bloom throughout the year. Any time one finds time to visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden they will see vibrant petals on display. These range from the winter-blooming camelias to the summer rose beds in the formal gardens.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was once home to the Naito family. The land was given to the family by the shogun in 1772. It later became an experimental agricultural center before being made an imperial garden. Air raids destroyed much of the area during World War II, but it was rebuilt and turned into a public park in 1949.

Along with the flora of gardens, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden includes two restaurants, an information center and coffee and tea houses. There is also a children's area for those under the age of 13. It should be noted that children cannot use this play area during cherry blossom season.

The garden is open Tuesday through Sunday except on national holidays and from December 29 through January 3. Opening times vary depending on the season, but the garden is usually open 9 AM through no later than 4 PM.

Tips:
As is true with many places in Tokyo, permission must be granted for photography. Those tourists hoping to take many photographs must apply for permission and follow all appropriate guidelines.