Fees and how to pay
The garden's admission page lists:
| Visitor | Fee |
|---|---|
| Adult | ¥500 (¥400 each in groups of 30 or more) |
| Aged 65 and over | ¥250 |
| Students aged 16 and over | ¥250 |
| Children 15 and under | Free |
| Japanese disability certificate holder and one carer | Free |
Payment is quick for most visitors. Transport IC cards such as Suica and PASMO work at the entry gates, and our Suica, PASMO and card-tap guide covers getting one. E-tickets from the garden's asoview-run sales site are shown as a QR code at the gate and are valid for six months from purchase, so they suit visitors who want to sort it out before the trip. The page does not say whether credit cards or cash are taken at the gates, so carry an IC card or an e-ticket.
Hours by season
| Period | Opening hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| 1 October – 14 March | 9:00–16:30 | 16:00 |
| 15 March – 30 September | 9:00–18:00 | 17:30 |
| 11 June – 31 July | 9:00–19:00 | 18:30 |
The winter closing time is early. In November and December, arriving by mid-afternoon leaves time for a proper walk before the 16:00 last entry and the 16:30 close.
Closed days, with the exceptions that matter
The rule on the Japanese admission page is simple: closed every Monday, or the next weekday if Monday is a national holiday, and closed from 29 December to 3 January. Two periods override the Monday closure: 25 March – 24 April for cherry blossom and 1–15 November for the chrysanthemum exhibition.
Applied to the coming months, the rule gives these closures (worked out from the published rule; check the site for any extra notices):
| Month | Closed |
|---|---|
| November 2026 | 16, 24 (Tuesday, after the 23 November holiday), 30 |
| December 2026 | 7, 14, 21, 28, then 29–31 |
| January 2027 | 1–3, 4, 12 (Tuesday, after the 11 January holiday), 18, 25 |
Note the New Year trap: the year-end closure ends on 3 January, but 4 January 2027 is a Monday, so the garden reopens on Tuesday 5 January. Our Tokyo year-end and New Year closures guide lists other sights affected over the same days.
Garden rules: what you cannot bring
The rules page bans bringing in, among other items:
- alcohol;
- animals, except assistance dogs;
- drones;
- bicycles, including balance bikes and tricycles.
It also bans smoking anywhere, including e-cigarettes and including paths and car parks, plus ball games, play with sports equipment and putting up tents or parasols. In the children's plaza, children of primary-school age and under may play with soft balls, and small children's tents are allowed there from 7 May to 31 October only.
Which gate to use
The access page lists three gates:
| Gate | Nearest station and exit | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku Gate | Shinjuku-gyoemmae (Marunouchi Line) Exit 1 | 5 min |
| Shinjuku Gate | Shinjuku-sanchome (Fukutoshin Line) Exit E5; (Toei Shinjuku Line) Exits C1/C5 | 5 min |
| Shinjuku Gate | Shinjuku Station South Exit (JR, Keio, Odakyu) | 10 min |
| Okido Gate | Shinjuku-gyoemmae (Marunouchi Line) Exit 2 | 5 min |
| Sendagaya Gate | Sendagaya (JR Sobu Line) | 5 min |
| Sendagaya Gate | Kokuritsu-Kyogijo (Toei Oedo Line) Exit A5 | 5 min |
Use Shinjuku Gate if you are coming from the Shinjuku shopping area, and Sendagaya Gate if you are arriving on the JR Sobu Line or the Toei Oedo Line. The car park is beside Okido Gate, but the garden recommends public transport in cherry-blossom and autumn-leaf seasons, when it gets very crowded.
For another large garden in central Tokyo, the Imperial Palace East Gardens follow their own closed-day rules, so check both before fixing a day.
