Autumn Leaves in East Tokyo 2026: Quiet Koyo Spots Near Kinshicho & Kameido

The best quiet autumn leaves spots in east Tokyo are Sarue Onshi Park and Kiyosumi Teien near Kinshicho, Mukojima Hyakkaen and Kyu-Yasuda Garden along the Sumida River, Gyosen Park in Edogawa and the old garden of Yamamoto-tei in Shibamata. They colour at almost the same time as the famous spots in west and central Tokyo — the 2026 forecast puts central Tokyo’s ginkgo peak around November 26 and maples around November 29 — but with a fraction of the crowds. This guide to autumn leaves in east Tokyo covers eight spots, a half-day route from Kinshicho, and where to rest your legs afterwards.

Right-Side Chest Pain & Acupuncture Treatment in Tokyo

Chest pain, particularly on the right side, can be alarming and may stem from various causes, ranging from benign to serious. While left-sided chest...

Updated October 2026 — reviewed by Sunny Pham Sensei (Lệ Nhật Sensei), Japan National Acupuncture License No. 196186 (鍼師) / 195591 (灸師). Written by the Fuji Wellness team, based locally in Edogawa City, east Tokyo.

Why see autumn leaves in east Tokyo?

East Tokyo — the shitamachi, or “low city”, east of the Sumida River — is where many Tokyo residents go to see koyo without fighting tour groups. The gardens here are smaller than Shinjuku Gyoen, but they are older, cheaper (several are free) and very close together. Kinshicho and Kameido are on the JR Sobu Line, a few minutes from Akihabara and Ryogoku, so they are easy to reach from most hotels.

Timing is similar to the rest of the city. Japan Meteorological Corporation’s first 2026 forecast (nippon.com summary) expects peaks that are “normal or late” because of lingering summer heat. For the city-wide picture and light-up dates, see our Tokyo autumn leaves forecast 2026.

Eight quiet koyo spots in east Tokyo at a glance

Spot	Ward	Main trees	Typical peak	Entry	Nearest station
Sarue Onshi Park	Koto	Ginkgo, metasequoia, poplar, maple	Early to late Nov	Free, open 24 h	Sumiyoshi, or Kinshicho on foot
Kiyosumi Teien	Koto	Wax tree (haze), maple, ginkgo	Mid-Nov to early Dec	¥150	Kiyosumi-shirakawa
Mukojima Hyakkaen	Sumida	Plum, wax tree, cherry, ginkgo, maple	Mid-Nov to mid-Dec	¥150	Higashi-Mukojima
Kyu-Yasuda Garden	Sumida	Maple	Late Nov to early Dec	Free	Ryogoku
Sumida Park	Sumida / Taito	Riverside trees	Late Nov	Free	Asakusa
Gyosen Park & Heisei Garden	Edogawa	Maple	Late Nov to early Dec	Free	Nishi-Kasai
Shibamata: Taishakuten & Yamamoto-tei	Katsushika	Maple	Late Nov	¥100–400	Shibamata
Kameido Tenjin (chrysanthemums)	Koto	Chrysanthemum displays	Late Oct to late Nov	Free	Kameido

Peak periods are typical ranges from local guides such as Walkerplus and tenki.jp; individual years shift by a week or more.

Near Kinshicho: Sarue Onshi Park and Kiyosumi Teien

Sarue Onshi Park

A large, free park between Kinshicho and Sumiyoshi stations, built on the site of an old timber yard and opened to the public as an imperial gift (“onshi”) park. In November its tall ginkgo and metasequoia trees turn gold and rust-orange, and the southern half has a small Japanese-style landscape. Local guides list the colour as early to late November, a little earlier than the big gardens. It is open 24 hours with no admission fee, and on weekends food trucks sometimes park near the entrance (Walkerplus spot data). From Kinshicho Station’s South Exit it is roughly a 10–15 minute walk; from Sumiyoshi Station (Hanzomon and Toei Shinjuku lines) it is just a couple of minutes.

Kiyosumi Teien

A Meiji-era strolling garden built around a large pond, famous for its stepping stones (iso-watari) and stones collected from across Japan. The wax trees (haze) turn crimson first, usually mid-to-late November, and drop quickly; maples and ginkgo follow from late November. Adult admission is ¥150 (¥70 for over-65s), and the garden is open 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30 (Walkerplus). It is a three-minute walk from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station, two stops from Kinshicho on the Hanzomon Line, and the surrounding streets are known for independent coffee roasters.

Along the Sumida River: Mukojima Hyakkaen, Kyu-Yasuda Garden and Sumida Park

Mukojima Hyakkaen

A small flower garden founded in the Edo period by a merchant and his literary friends, and now a Tokyo metropolitan garden. It is best known for plum blossoms, but in autumn the plum, wax and cherry leaves turn first, followed by ginkgo and maples; the season runs roughly mid-November to mid-December. Open 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); adults ¥150. It is about an 8-minute walk from Higashi-Mukojima Station on the Tobu Skytree Line, two stops from Tokyo Skytree Station (tenki.jp).

Kyu-Yasuda Garden

A free Edo-period garden a few minutes from Ryogoku Station, next to the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo hall and the Japanese Sword Museum. Its pond was originally fed by the tides of the Sumida River. The maples usually peak from late November to early December, and the garden is open until 18:00 from October to March (GO TOKYO). If you are in Ryogoku for sumo, see our Ryogoku visitor guide.

Sumida Park

The long riverside park on both banks of the Sumida River between Asakusa and Mukojima is famous for cherry blossoms, but its trees also colour in late autumn, with Tokyo Skytree in the background. It is not a classic maple garden — think of it as a pleasant, free walk between Asakusa and Mukojima Hyakkaen rather than a destination in itself. Our Asakusa guide has more ideas for the area.

Further east: Gyosen Park, Shibamata and Kameido Tenjin

Gyosen Park and Heisei Garden (Edogawa)

Edogawa City’s free Japanese garden, with a pond, a sukiya-style tea house (Genshin-an) and maples that peak from late November to early December. The same park has a small free zoo with red pandas and penguins, which makes it a good choice for families. Read our full Gyosen Park and Heisei Garden guide.

Shibamata: Taishakuten and Yamamoto-tei (Katsushika)

A retro temple town on the Edo River. The Taishakuten temple’s Suikei-en garden (¥400 with the carving gallery) and the early-20th-century Yamamoto-tei residence (¥100) both have maples that are best in late November. In 2024 the area held an autumn light-up at Yamamoto-tei and Shibamata Park on November 23–24. See our Shibamata day trip guide.

Kameido Tenjin Shrine: chrysanthemums

Not leaves, but worth adding in early-to-mid November: Kameido Tenjin’s chrysanthemum festival (kiku matsuri) usually runs from late October to late November, with hundreds of potted displays — including a chrysanthemum “Skytree” more than six metres tall in recent years. Exact 2026 dates are announced by the shrine. Our Kameido Tenjin Shrine guide covers the shrine and nearby kuzumochi.

A half-day east Tokyo koyo route

This route works best on a weekday in the second half of November and needs only one short subway ride.

Time	Stop	Getting there
9:00	Kameido Tenjin Shrine (chrysanthemums, drum bridges)	15 min walk from Kameido or Kinshicho Station
10:00	Kuzumochi at Funabashiya, opposite the shrine	—
10:45	Sarue Onshi Park (ginkgo and metasequoia)	Walk south via Kinshicho, about 30 min, or JR one stop to Kinshicho then walk
12:00	Lunch near Sumiyoshi or Kiyosumi-shirakawa	Hanzomon Line, Sumiyoshi to Kiyosumi-shirakawa, 1 stop
13:00	Kiyosumi Teien (wax trees and maples)	3 min walk
14:30	Coffee in Kiyosumi-shirakawa, or head back towards Kinshicho	Hanzomon Line, 2 stops

Total walking is around 10,000–12,000 steps, depending on whether you take the train for the Kinshicho leg. If you prefer to start later, reverse the route and finish at Kameido Tenjin in the late afternoon light.

A recovery stop near Kinshicho and Kameido

After a morning of gravel paths and stepping stones, many people feel it in their feet, calves and lower back. Fuji Wellness, a small English-, Vietnamese- and Japanese-speaking acupuncture clinic at 1-21-14 Matsushima, Edogawa City, is about 20 minutes from Kinshicho and 20–30 minutes from Kameido by Toei bus (錦25 or 錦27 from Kinshicho South Exit, or 錦25, 錦27 or 亀26 from Kameido, to the Komatsugawa-keisatsusho-mae stop, then a 3-minute walk).

The half-day route above ends in time for an afternoon session Monday to Thursday (14:00–17:00). On Saturday, Sunday and public holidays the clinic is open 8:00–12:00, so some visitors book a morning slot and do the route in reverse in the afternoon. The clinic is closed on Fridays and works by appointment only — see how to get to Fuji Wellness or book through the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see autumn leaves near Kinshicho?

Sarue Onshi Park is a 10–15 minute walk from Kinshicho Station and is free, with ginkgo and metasequoia that colour from early to late November. Kiyosumi Teien, two stops from Kinshicho on the Hanzomon Line, has maples, ginkgo and wax trees from mid-November to early December.

Are east Tokyo gardens less crowded than Rikugien or Jingu Gaien?

Generally, yes. Gardens such as Kiyosumi Teien, Mukojima Hyakkaen, Kyu-Yasuda Garden and Gyosen Park see mostly local visitors, even in peak season. Weekend afternoons are still busier than weekday mornings.

Which east Tokyo autumn leaves spots are free?

Sarue Onshi Park, Kyu-Yasuda Garden, Sumida Park, Gyosen Park’s Heisei Garden and Kameido Tenjin Shrine are free. Kiyosumi Teien and Mukojima Hyakkaen cost ¥150 for adults, and Yamamoto-tei in Shibamata costs ¥100.

When do the leaves change colour in east Tokyo in 2026?

The first 2026 forecast puts central Tokyo’s ginkgo peak around November 26 and maples around November 29. In east Tokyo, Sarue Onshi Park’s trees tend to colour a little earlier, while Japanese gardens such as Kiyosumi Teien and Gyosen Park are usually best from late November into early December.