YOUR JAPAN TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Bunkyo gardens in one day: Koishikawa Botanical Gardens and Rikugien

A quieter Tokyo garden day with two distinct landscapes and a proper lunch between them.

1 day2 places

Explore this itinerary

Tabipita editorial team
Updated 2026-10-22

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens東京大学大学院理学系研究科附属植物園

Photo: Daderot· 2008 · Public domainCredits & license

Photographed 2008-01-22 · Checked 2026-10-22

Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a card crop.

Original on Wikimedia Commons Public domain

YOUR DAYS, AT A GLANCE

Explore the route

A suggested starting point, with room for meals and breaks. Stay lengths are editorial estimates; check opening times and bookings before visiting.

Follow the neighbourhoods

Lines show the suggested stop order, not walking or transit directions. Open a place in Google Maps to plan your actual journey.

Botanical collection and landscape garden2 stops

Before you go

Official references are dated below. Route choices, walking allowances and meal plans are our suggestions, not live directions. Recheck notices for your travel date.

Start here · station & exit

Start at Hakusan Station and follow the botanical garden’s current access map to its public entrance. Do not navigate to Koishikawa Korakuen by mistake.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22
Rikugien Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22

Getting between stops

Budget 40–60 minutes between the botanical garden exit and Rikugien using walking or local rail as appropriate. Arrive well before Rikugien’s 16:30 last entry.

Our planning suggestionAllowances include walking and waiting; use current directions for the actual service.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22
Rikugien Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22

Entry, hours & reservations

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens: The official page lists 09:00–16:30 and adult ¥500. Check closing days and last entry before travel. Rikugien Gardens: 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; adult ¥300. Closed December 29–January 1. Use the normal entrance unless a seasonal gate opening is confirmed.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22
Rikugien Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22

Food & rest breaks

Have lunch around Hakusan or Sengoku between visits and sit before the second garden. Keep picnics to areas where each garden permits them.

Our planning suggestionMeal and rest stops are editorial suggestions, not restaurant reservations.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22
Rikugien Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22

If it rains

Both gardens are mainly outdoors. In prolonged rain, move this day and choose a museum itinerary; the greenhouse is not a full-day fallback.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22
Rikugien Gardens — official visitor informationChecked 2026-10-22

Photo: Daderot· 2008 · Public domainCredits & license
Photographed 2008-01-22 · Checked 2026-10-22
Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a card crop.
Original on Wikimedia Commons Public domain
STOP 1
Koishikawa Botanical Gardens
東京大学大学院理学系研究科附属植物園
Explore a botanical collection with time to read labels and rest. This is not Koishikawa Korakuen, the separate landscape garden near Tokyo Dome.
Suggested visit: about 120 min
Open in Google Maps ↗
Photo: 京浜にけ· 2010年12月6日 · CC BY-SA 3.0Credits & license
Photographed 2010年12月6日 · Checked 2026-10-22
Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a card crop. This adaptation uses the same share-alike license.
Original on Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
STOP 2
Rikugien Gardens
六義園
Finish with the pond circuit and landscaped viewpoints. Autumn colour depends on the year; daytime admission does not include a special night event.
Suggested visit: about 90 min
Open in Google Maps ↗

Who this route suits

A quieter Tokyo garden day with two distinct landscapes and a proper lunch between them. This route favours time at the places themselves over collecting stops. The stay lengths and transfer buffers below are editorial planning estimates, not live schedules. Use the map to identify places and the official links to check your travel date.

Day 1: Botanical collection and landscape garden

Start with the botanical collections, then move to Rikugien for a more composed landscape. These are separate paid gardens with different closing rules. The route is enjoyable beyond autumn, but no flower or foliage display can be guaranteed for your date.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens

Explore a botanical collection with time to read labels and rest. This is not Koishikawa Korakuen, the separate landscape garden near Tokyo Dome.

Rikugien Gardens

Finish with the pond circuit and landscaped viewpoints. Autumn colour depends on the year; daytime admission does not include a special night event.

Budget 40–60 minutes between the botanical garden exit and Rikugien using walking or local rail as appropriate. Arrive well before Rikugien’s 16:30 last entry.

Have lunch around Hakusan or Sengoku between visits and sit before the second garden. Keep picnics to areas where each garden permits them.

Both gardens are mainly outdoors. In prolonged rain, move this day and choose a museum itinerary; the greenhouse is not a full-day fallback.

Before you leave

Confirm opening dates, last admission and any timed tickets before starting. Carry a charged phone for tickets and directions, and leave room for queues and a seated meal. Historic paths may have steps or uneven surfaces; check the official accessibility details if you need a step-free route. Photos show the actual places at the time they were taken, not a guarantee of today’s foliage, displays or access.