Chasing Tokyo’s Autumn Colors: Choosing Train Passes and Garden Tickets Wisely

Cluster 2: Hamarikyu and the Ginza–Hibiya stretch — Oedo Line territory

Hamarikyu

A garden beside Tokyo Bay, with seawater flowing into its ponds and the Shiodome skyscrapers rising behind it—a striking contrast between old and new that feels very “Tokyo.” The autumn colors here arrive a little later than at Rikugien and often remain beautiful into early December.

• Station: Shiodome, on the Oedo Line (Toei)—follow the signs for Hamarikyu and walk approximately 5-7 minutes to the main Otemon Gate. Shiodome Station is connected to a high-rise complex, so simply head toward the bay. You can also get off at Tsukijishijo (Oedo) and walk for roughly the same amount of time.
• Admission: approximately 300 yen.
• Great tip: Tokyo Cruise riverboats from Asakusa travel down the Sumida River and dock inside the garden—the boat fare usually includes garden admission. Going to Asakusa in the morning and taking the boat down to Hamarikyu around noon makes for an excellent-value autumn route, even though the boat is not covered by any train pass.

It’s approximately 10-15 minutes on foot from Hamarikyu to Ginza. Nearby, Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden (next to Hamamatsucho Station) costs only approximately 150 yen to enter. It’s small but lovely and easy to add if you still have energy. The Oedo Line covers this entire cluster, so a Toei pass or the Metro+Toei combo ticket is especially useful—a Metro-only pass will leave you short here.

Cluster 3: Shinjuku Gyoen and the Gaien ginkgo avenue — the Marunouchi/Ginza axis

Shinjuku Gyoen

A vast national garden with both red momiji and golden ginkgo trees in autumn, plus wide lawns where you can comfortably spread out a picnic blanket. This is where I often take friends who are visiting Japan for the first time.

• Station: Shinjuku-gyoemmae, on the Marunouchi Line (Tokyo Metro), use Exit 1—the Shinjuku Gate is only about 1 minute away on foot. Don’t make the mistake of getting off at the enormous Shinjuku Station and trying to walk through its maze; if you’re using the Fukutoshin/Toshin or Toei Shinjuku Line, get off at Shinjuku-sanchome and follow the signs toward the Southeast Exit area (around the C exits), about 5 minutes away.
• Admission: approximately 500 yen for adults; students have separate, cheaper rates. There are automatic ticket machines at the gate that accept IC cards, and during peak season they’re much faster than the staffed counters.
• Schedule note: the garden is usually closed on Mondays, but during peak autumn foliage there have been years when it stays open continuously—including Mondays. This changes from year to year, so you must check the official Shinjuku Gyoen website before scheduling a Monday visit.

Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue (Icho Namiki)

Japan’s most famous golden ginkgo-lined avenue, free of charge, usually reaching its peak in late November.

• Station: Aoyama-itchome (Ginza, Hanzomon, or Toei Oedo lines), follow the signs toward Exit 1 on the north side and walk approximately 3-5 minutes to the start of the avenue; or Gaiemmae Station (Ginza Line), use Exit 4a, also just a few minutes away.
• Note: During the ginkgo festival, the crowds can be enormous, so visiting early on a weekday is ideal. The area has been undergoing redevelopment in recent years, and some paths may change—just follow the crowd and you won’t get lost.

Shinjuku Gyoen is on the Marunouchi Line, while Gaien is served by the Ginza, Hanzomon, and Oedo lines. A Metro-only pass is almost enough for this cluster, while having Oedo coverage gives you greater flexibility. The two spots are only 2-3 stops apart, making them a perfect combination for one afternoon.

Cluster 4: Showa Kinen in Tachikawa — JR and Suica territory

Showa Kinen Park is several times larger than Shinjuku Gyoen, with two seemingly endless rows of ginkgo trees and a Japanese garden filled with deep red autumn foliage. The trade-off is that it’s in Tachikawa, west of central Tokyo—and it’s the only destination in this article where all subway passes are completely useless.

• Getting there: Take the JR Chuo Line (Rapid train, orange-colored) from Shinjuku to Tachikawa; the journey takes approximately 30 minutes and a one-way ticket costs approximately 500 yen. Just tap your Suica. From Tachikawa Station, walk approximately 10-15 minutes to the Akebono Gate. To reduce the walking, transfer to the JR Ome Line and ride one more stop to Nishi-Tachikawa—the park’s Nishi-Tachikawa Gate is right next to the station.
• Admission: approximately 450 yen for adults. The park is huge, with rental bicycles and a small train that loops around the grounds (at an additional charge). If you plan to see all the different areas, renting a bicycle is the smartest decision you’ll make that day.
• Scheduling advice: Set aside half a day to a full day. Visit early on a weekday if possible; on peak weekends, the ginkgo area is packed like a festival.

Since this cluster takes up an entire day and doesn’t use a pass, the smart approach is to schedule Showa Kinen for the day before activating your 48/72h pass or after it expires, rather than letting it fall in the middle of your pass period.

Which tickets need to be booked online in advance?

This is where many people get caught out, because “I’ll just buy a ticket when I arrive” is no longer a workable strategy everywhere:

• Rikugien evening season (light-up): In recent years, Rikugien’s nighttime autumn illumination has switched to limited, timed-entry tickets sold online, and the most popular weekend slots sell out fairly quickly. Evening tickets are separate from daytime admission (more expensive, usually from a few hundred to approximately one thousand yen depending on the year). If you want to see the momiji glowing at night—and it really is worth seeing—start watching the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association website from early November.
• Shinjuku Gyoen: During the daytime autumn season, you generally do not need to book in advance and can buy tickets comfortably at the gate (unlike the peak sakura season, when advance reservations have been required in some years). However, policies have changed several times since the pandemic, so check again before visiting.
• Showa Kinen during the day: Buy tickets at the gate. The separate evening autumn illumination event (if held that year) may sell tickets online—check the park’s official website.
• Hamarikyu, Koishikawa Korakuen, and Kyu-Shiba-rikyu: Buy tickets at the gate; no advance booking is required.
• Tokyo Subway Ticket: Online booking is not mandatory, but buying through a travel platform in advance and exchanging the voucher at the airport can save you from queuing at the counter immediately after landing.

One note for groups traveling with older relatives: Tokyo Metropolitan gardens (Rikugien, Hamarikyu, Koishikawa Korakuen, and others) often offer combination tickets covering several gardens, as well as discounted admission for visitors over 65. Just ask at the counter.

Suggested 3-day itinerary with a 72-hour pass

Here’s what it looks like when you put all of the above into practice:

• Day 1 (activate the pass in the morning): Arrive at Rikugien as soon as it opens → Koishikawa Korakuen before noon → head to Icho Namiki in Gaien in the afternoon → if you manage to get tickets, return to Rikugien in the evening for the light-up.
• Day 2: Asakusa in the morning → take a Sumida River boat down to Hamarikyu (the boat ticket is outside the pass but worth it) → wander around Ginza and Hibiya Park in the afternoon (free, with beautiful ginkgo trees as well) → Tokyo Tower or Roppongi in the evening, with the Oedo Line taking care of the transport.
• Day 3: Spread out a blanket beneath the golden canopy at Shinjuku Gyoen in the morning → spend the afternoon exploring Shibuya/Omotesando, making use of the pass until its final hours.
• Day 4 (pass expired): Devote the entire day to Showa Kinen using Suica + the JR Chuo Line.

With this schedule, you’ll take a dozen or more train rides over the first three days while spending only approximately 1,500 yen on the pass—using Suica for each ride would certainly cost twice or three times as much.

Frequently asked questions

I live in Tokyo and can’t buy the Tokyo Subway Ticket. What should I do? Use the Common One-day Ticket (Metro + Toei, approximately 900 yen) for a day packed with multiple destinations, or the Tokyo Metro 24-hour Ticket at approximately 600 yen if your itinerary uses only Metro lines. On lighter days, just use Suica.

Can I use a subway pass on the Yamanote Line? No. The Yamanote Line belongs to JR, so Metro/Toei passes are not valid. This is the most common mistake—many people hold a 72h pass, tap at a JR gate, and then stare in confusion. Whenever you see the green JR logo, take out your Suica.

When are Tokyo’s autumn leaves at their best? Usually from mid/late November through early December, with the golden ginkgo trees changing first and the red momiji reaching their peak afterward. The timing can vary by a full week from year to year depending on the weather, so check Japan’s koyo forecasts on weather websites as your trip approaches.

Do children need to pay garden admission? Tokyo Metropolitan gardens such as Rikugien and Hamarikyu are generally free for elementary school students and younger; Shinjuku Gyoen and Showa Kinen have their own policies for children and students. Check the official website for age-specific details, but in general, bringing young children costs very little extra.

What are my alternatives if I can’t get a Rikugien evening ticket in time? There are several other autumn light-up spots in and around Tokyo, depending on what is held each year, and Icho Namiki in Gaien is already wonderfully atmospheric when the streetlights come on at dusk. Or simply visit Rikugien during the day and choose the first opening slot—the slanting early-morning sunlight filtering through the momiji canopy is, in my opinion, even more beautiful than the illumination.

Tokyo’s autumn is very short. Preparing your train routes and admission tickets in advance—the most boring parts of the trip—is exactly what allows you to stand beneath the trees without thinking about anything except looking up.