Shinjuku Gyoen Autumn Leaves 2026: Peak Dates, ¥500 Entry & Hours

A ten-minute walk from Shinjuku Station, tucked right up against the skyscrapers, sits one of central Tokyo's calmest places to see fall color. Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑) is a big garden of maples, ginkgos, plane trees and more, and the color lasts later here than at most other spots in the city.

Peak color runs from late November into early December, so even if you miss mid-November elsewhere, you can still catch it here. This guide has what you need to plan an autumn 2026 visit: when the color peaks, what entry costs, which parts of the garden turn, and how to time your trip around the crowds.

If you are still choosing between Tokyo's autumn spots, start with our Tokyo Autumn Leaves 2026 guide and come back for the details here.

Shinjuku Gyoen's autumn color lasts from late November into early December. There is no evening opening, though, and the garden closes at 4:30 p.m. (last entry 4:00 p.m.). Plan a daytime visit.

When the color peaks in 2026

The leaves usually start turning in mid-October and peak from late November into early December. Because the garden has so many kinds of trees, different species peak two to three weeks apart. Do not assume "any day in November" will catch everything.

For reference, here is roughly how 2025 unfolded (these are 2025 dates only; 2026 will shift):

The red maples turn last. Momijiyama ("Maple Hill"), the garden's best-known maple spot, often peaks from early to mid-December. If you want the yellow ginkgos and red maples on the same day, aim for the very end of November through the first days of December.

The official site usually updates its seasonal color report in autumn, so it is worth a quick check just before your trip.

Admission and opening hours

Entry is ¥500 for adults. Children through junior high school get in free, which keeps a family visit light on the wallet.

From October 1 to March 14, when daylight hours are shorter, the garden is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last entry at 4:00 p.m. Arriving late leaves little time, so aim to enter between morning and early afternoon.

The garden is closed every Monday (or the next weekday if Monday is a holiday) and over the New Year, December 29–January 3. It stays open daily November 1–15 for the chrysanthemum exhibition, but during the late-November-to-December peak the usual Monday closure applies, so skip a Monday visit.

Where to see the color inside the garden

Shinjuku Gyoen covers about 58 hectares, and each area has a different feel. The main places for fall color are:

• Around Shinjuku Gate: just past the entrance, the maples form an arch of red, with ginkgos nearby.
• Japanese Garden: maples around the pond, and the view by the old imperial rest house.
• Momijiyama (Maple Hill): the garden's signature maple spot and the last to turn. For the deepest reds, this is the place to aim for.
• French Formal Garden: a straight plane-tree avenue that becomes a tunnel of gold.
• English Landscape Garden: tall tulip trees rising over the wide lawn, glowing yellow.
• By the greenhouse: three ginkgos and a grove of bald cypress with knobby roots, which turns a rusty brown in late autumn.

To see it all in a day, walk clockwise from Shinjuku Gate through the Japanese Garden, Momijiyama, and the greenhouse.

Getting there: which gate to use

The garden has three entrances. Because most of the best fall color is found between Shinjuku Gate and the Japanese Garden, first-timers should use Shinjuku Gate or Okido Gate.

At Shinjuku-gyoemmae Station, Exit 1 is the Shinjuku Gate side and Exit 2 is the Okido Gate side. Check the exit before you come up to street level, or you will end up walking the long way around.

Plan your visit: evenings, crowds, and what to wear

Shinjuku Gyoen does not open in the evening or hold autumn illuminations. A one-off nighttime event ran November 22–December 3, 2023, but nothing similar has been held since. If you want lit-up leaves after dark, see our Tokyo Autumn Illumination 2026 guide for venues that stay open at night.

Crowds gather on weekends and holidays, especially during the peak from late November to early December. For a quieter walk, come on a weekday right after opening, around 9 a.m.

Late November and early December are cool: daytime highs are usually in the low to mid-teens Celsius (mid-50s Fahrenheit), and the air turns colder as the 4:30 closing nears. Bring a light jacket for the day and a warmer layer for late afternoon.

One more thing before you go: alcohol is not allowed inside, and pets (except service dogs), tents and ball games are also off-limits. It's a garden made for a quiet walk, so knowing the rules ahead of time saves confusion at the gate.