As one of the largest and more popular parks in Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyoen, is visited by both locals and tourists who come to enjoy its serenity, perfectly manicured gardens and of course the cherry blossoms. We visited the park on our first day in Tokyo and even though the cherry blossoms were a few days away from blooming, the park was incredibly beautiful.

About Shinjuku Gyoen

The Shinjuku Gyoen is a massive park in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. Its vast expanse is divided into various garden themes. We entered from the Shinjuku Gate which led us first into the English Gardens. With grass as far as the eye could see, the garden reminded me of England (or Europe). For a moment it really did feel like we weren’t in Japan.

The Japanese Garden in Shinjuku Gyoen

From The English Garden To The Japanese Garden

A short walk though a canopy of trees brought us to the Japanese Garden. A giant koi pond, manicured maple trees and bridges – this part of the garden was even more beautiful than the previous. We ended up spending a considerable amount of time in the Japanese Garden, admiring the flowers and blossoms. Of course, it was such a beautiful day in Tokyo that it wasn’t hard to imagine why its gardens were full of picnic goers. Looking at them did make us a little hungry. And since it was our first day in Tokyo, we were looking for some delicious Japanese food.

So, after spending a couple of hours in what would be one of many gardens in Japan, we bide farewell to Shinjuku Gyoen and headed out to grab lunch.

Hope you enjoyed these photos. There’s also a whole gallery of photos from Tokyo, just saying.