14/11/2025
🍁 I Visited Rikugien Last Autumn… and You Should Go This Year
Last year, around the end of November, I randomly decided to stop by Rikugien Garden after work.
I wasn’t planning anything big — just needed a quiet place to clear my mind.
But what I saw inside that garden stayed with me for the whole year.
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🍂 The moment I entered…
It felt like I stepped out of Tokyo and into a painting.
Maple leaves glowing red, the pond as still as glass, and the sound of the city completely gone.
I remember standing by the water thinking:
“How can a place this peaceful exist in Tokyo?”
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🍁 My favorite moment
There’s a small bridge in Rikugien.
Nothing fancy — just stone and shadows.
But last year, when I stood on it, the entire pond turned gold.
The late afternoon sun hit the maple leaves and the whole garden lit up like fire.
It’s one of those moments you don’t forget.
Simple, quiet, beautiful.
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🌙 And when the lights turned on…
Rikugien does a night illumination during peak fall season.
Last year, when the lights came on, the reflection in the pond looked unreal — like a painting with no edges.
People around me literally stopped talking.
Everyone just stood there watching the colors float on the water.
Even now, when I think about autumn in Japan, this is the scene that comes to my mind.
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🍁 Why you should go this year
This year’s autumn is expected to be a little later, so the best time is late November to early December.
If you want a place to:
✨ Slow down
✨ Feel calm
✨ Take beautiful photos
✨ See real Japanese autumn colors
Then you should visit Rikugien at least once in your life.
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📍 Quick Travel Info
• Location: Komagome Station, Tokyo
• Best Time 2025: Late November – Early December
• Entry: ¥300
• Time Needed: 1 hour
• Best Moments: sunset + night illumination
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❤️ Last year, Rikugien gave me a moment of peace.
If you’re planning your autumn trip this year, put this garden on your list.
Trust me — it’s one of Tokyo’s quietest, most beautiful places in fall.