Tokyo foliage runs two to three weeks behind Western expectations. If you visit in October, bypass the parks for street festivals, open-air markets, and neighborhood walks. Maples and ginkgoes do not peak until late November.
1. Meiji Jingu Gaien — Golden Ginkgo Tunnel in Late November
Meiji Jingu Gaien features a 300-meter avenue of 146 pruned ginkgo trees turning deep yellow from late November to early December, free of charge. Planted in 1923, the four rows rely on forced perspective, growing taller toward the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery. Fallen leaves carpet the pavement by late November, drawing over 100,000 daily visitors on weekends. Arrive before 08:30 on a weekday to beat the selfie sticks.
2. Rikugien Garden — Nighttime Foliage Illuminations Around the Pond
Rikugien Garden lights 400 Japanese maples and central ponds each late November. Built between 1695 and 1702 by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, this strolling pond garden recreates 88 scenes from classical waka poetry. The ¥1,100 evening ticket admits you to timber bridges reflected in the water beneath crimson canopies. Pair the visit with our daytime Hidden Tokyo - Peaceful Gardens, Historic Shrines & Old Town Streets to explore the surrounding neighborhoods.
3. Mount Takao — Early Maple Leaves and Takaosan Yakuo-in Temple
Mount Takao rises 599 meters on Tokyo's western rim, peaking two full weeks before the city center. Keio Line expresses run from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi in 50 minutes for ¥390. Trail 1 is paved, passing eighth-century Takaosan Yakuo-in and 1,200-year-old cedars; Trail 6 follows a stream through wild maples. Scarlet foliage peaks from early to mid-November.
4. Shinjuku Gyoen — 1,000 Autumn Trees and the November Chrysanthemum Exhibit
Shinjuku Gyoen spans 58 hectares and holds over 1,000 turning trees alongside the Imperial Chrysanthemum Exhibition. This former imperial estate merges French formal, English landscape, and traditional Japanese layouts. From November 1 to 15, gardeners present kengai—cascading chrysanthemum mounds crafted here since 1904. The French section drops bronze sycamore leaves in October, while the Japanese pond maples turn deep red in late November.
5. Tokyo Ramen Festa at Komazawa Olympic Park — October Open-Air Bowls
Tokyo Ramen Festa brings over 25 shops to Komazawa Olympic Park across two five-day runs in late October and early November. Stalls pour Sapporo miso, Aomori niboshi broth, and Hakata tonkotsu from steaming kettles. Buy paper vouchers at central kiosks for roughly ¥1,000 before queuing at the tents.
6. Yanaka Ginza & Nezu Shrine — Autumn Street Food and Yanaka Matsuri
Yanaka Ginza and Nezu Shrine show off Tokyo's older downtown in early October. Nezu's red torii gate tunnel empties out, while roasted kuri carts fire up for the Yanaka Matsuri. Down the Yuyake Dandan stairs, the 170-meter Yanaka Ginza arcade serves seasonal snacks like kabocha croquettes and sweet-potato taiyaki. Walk these alleys with our guides on the Tokyo tour · Día 1.
7. Kanda Used Book Festival — Jinbocho's Massive Open-Air October Sale
During the late October Kanda Used Book Festival, over 100 antiquarian dealers roll carts of one million discounted volumes onto Jinbocho's sidewalks. Roughly 130 specialist bookshops line Yasukuni-dori and its side alleys. For one week, a 500-meter corridor of carts displays woodblock prints, vintage film posters, and art monographs.
8. Koishikawa Korakuen — Full-Canopy Japanese Maples Along the Canal
Dating to 1629, Koishikawa Korakuen is one of Tokyo's oldest surviving feudal grounds. Founded by Tokugawa Yorifusa and finished by his son Mitsukuni, this circuit garden incorporates Chinese design alongside Japanese ponds. The Oi River section mimics Kyoto's Arashiyama, shading stone canals and the seventeenth-century Engetsu-kyo bridge with maples. Admission is ¥300, set right beneath Tokyo Dome.
9. Meguro River & Daikanyama — Clear Autumn Walks and Craft Beer Yards
Meguro River empties out in October once cherry blossom crowds vanish. Sycamores and cherry trees drop orange leaves into the 3.8-kilometer canal, bordered by design shops and coffee counters. Head uphill to Daikanyama Log Road for seasonal red ales on the terrace at Spring Valley Brewery.
10. Tori-no-Ichi at Hanazono Shrine — Shinjuku's Raucous November Rooster Fair
Hanazono Shrine holds Tori-no-Ichi across designated Rooster Days each November. Dating to the Edo period, this festival honors the deity of business fortune with lantern-lit stalls selling kumade—bamboo rakes adorned with masks, gold coins, and sea bream. Merchants seal purchases with tejime rhythmic clapping. Continue into the backstreets on our Shinjuku Night Walking Tour - Dark Side of Tokyo (For Adults 18+ Only).
Experience Autumn in Tokyo with Wabisabi
Explore Tokyo's Edo-era garden ponds, quiet temple courtyards, and lively street markets alongside our knowledgeable neighborhood guides.
Book this tour →
