Kiyosumi Gardens
The Kiyosumi Gardens are a circular garden with a fountain, an artificial hill, and a dry landscape garden. In 1878, industrialist Yataro Iwasaki purchased the site of a dilapidated mansion and planned to create a garden.
You can enjoy the garden's scenery as you walk along the paths, and even cross a small bridge into the pond area. The beautiful views of the garden are all right there.
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Meiji Shrine was established in 1920 (Taisho 9) as a shrine to enshrine Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.
It was raining the day I went 🌧️. There’s no shelter along the way, and the path is all small stones, so it took almost 20 minutes to reach the main shrine. I just bought a few omamori as souvenirs and headed back to Harajuku Station. My shoes were totally soaked by the end.
Rikugien Gardens
Starting in 1695, Rikugien was constructed over 7 years as a Japanese garden of undulating scenery. Designed in the Kaiyushiki style, it features strolling paths around ponds and hills. It is designated by the Japanese government as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
The autumn leaves at Rikugien, a classic Edo period garden, are just as stunning as the famous spots in Kyoto. It's not too crowded during the day, but in the evening, a lot of people suddenly show up. The illuminated night maple leaves are definitely a highlight here.