What Is Showa Kinen Park? A Vast Park in Tokyo
Showa Kinen Park is a vast park built on the former site of the U.S. Tachikawa Air Base as part of a project commemorating the 50th anniversary of Emperor Shōwa's reign.
Spanning the cities of Tachikawa and Akishima in Tokyo, the park covers a vast area of approximately 180 hectares.
The grounds are organized into five zones: the Green Culture Zone, Exhibition Zone, Water Zone, Open Field Zone, and Forest Zone.
With sprawling lawns, seasonal flowers, a Japanese garden, cycling courses, and satoyama (rural village) landscapes all in one place, the park is equally suited for flower viewing and leisurely walks.
Showa Kinen Park Entrance Fee & Opening Hours
Admission to the paid area is 450 yen for adults (high school students and older), 210 yen for seniors (65+), and free for junior high school students and younger.
Opening hours vary by season and day of the week. The general schedule is 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM from March through October, and 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM from November through February. On weekends and holidays from April to September, the park stays open until 6:00 PM.
The park is closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (December 31 – January 1) and from the third Monday through Friday of January.
It's a good idea to confirm the day's opening hours before your visit.
Note that the Green Culture Zone, accessible through the Akebono Gate, is free to enter.
How to Get to Showa Kinen Park: Choosing the Right Entrance
Showa Kinen Park is large, so which gate you enter from significantly affects how easily you can get around.
If proximity to a station is your priority, the Nishi-Tachikawa Gate is about a 2-minute walk from JR Nishi-Tachikawa Station. From JR Tachikawa Station, the Akebono Gate is roughly a 10-minute walk from the North Exit, while the Tachikawa Gate is farther at about 18 minutes on foot.
Here's a quick guide to choosing your entrance:
- Nishi-Tachikawa Gate: Best if you want to get into the park as quickly as possible
- Tachikawa Gate: Best for starting with the Canal and Tachikawa-side scenery
- Sunagawa Gate: Best for heading toward the Flower Hill or Komorebi no Sato area
Top Things to See at Showa Kinen Park for First-Time Visitors
The Canal and Ginkgo Tree Avenue
The Canal, located near the Tachikawa Gate, features a 200-meter-long waterway with five fountains and rows of ginkgo trees on either side.
It's a great place to grasp the park's impressive scale right from the entrance and a natural starting point for photos as you begin your walk.
Minna no Harappa (Everyone's Field)
"Minna no Harappa" is a massive lawn area of approximately 11 hectares at the center of the park.
A towering zelkova tree over 20 meters tall stands at its center, offering welcome shade for a rest.
Many families spread out picnic blankets here to enjoy the open space, and the field also serves as a large-scale evacuation area in case of disaster.
Japanese Garden
For a quieter experience, the Japanese Garden is a must-see.
This pond-strolling garden covers about 6 hectares and was established in 1997 as the largest full-scale Japanese garden built in the Tokyo metropolitan area after World War II.
A bonsai garden is also located within the grounds, where you can admire traditional Japanese gardening techniques while you stroll.
Please note that pets, smoking, eating and drinking, and the use of leisure sheets or tents are not permitted in the Japanese Garden area.
Flower Hill, Keiryū Hiroba & Komorebi no Sato
If seasonal flowers are your main goal, Flower Hill and Keiryū Hiroba (Stream Square) are must-visit spots.
Flower Hill is the park's largest flower field and is especially famous for its autumn cosmos display.
Keiryū Hiroba is well known for its tulip garden, where a dazzling variety of colors bloom in spring.
Additionally, Komorebi no Sato recreates the rural Musashino village life of the 1950s, offering a glimpse of the park beyond its flowers.
Best Time to Visit Showa Kinen Park: Seasonal Flowers & Fall Foliage
Spring brings a succession of cherry blossoms, tulips, rapeseed flowers, wisteria, and azaleas, making it one of the park's most colorful seasons.
With over 1,500 cherry trees throughout the park, visitors can enjoy tulips at Keiryū Hiroba and rapeseed flowers around Minna no Harappa.
Autumn is the season for cosmos and golden foliage.
The Katariai Ginkgo Avenue stretches about 300 meters and is one of the park's most iconic autumn photo spots.
Since peak bloom and foliage times vary each year, checking the park's "Flower Calendar" before your visit will help you make the most of your trip.
Getting Around Showa Kinen Park: Cycling, Trains & Tips
The park features a 14-kilometer cycling course, open to both rental bikes and personal bicycles.
Cycling centers at the Tachikawa, Nishi-Tachikawa, and Sunagawa gates offer approximately 2,000 rental bicycles (paid, first-come first-served basis).
Cycling is a convenient way to cover the expansive grounds efficiently, though the course is for bicycles only — walking and kick scooters are not allowed on it.
If you'd prefer to walk and enjoy the scenery while reducing the distance on foot, the Park Train is another great option.
Park Train tickets are available as single rides or day passes, and wait times may be longer during busy periods.
Photography Rules & Visitor Etiquette at Showa Kinen Park
Basic rules to keep in mind include: do not enter fenced flower fields or flower beds, do not pick plants, do not catch or disturb wildlife, and do not use open flames.
Smoking is only permitted at designated areas with ashtrays.
While the park is a wonderful place for photography, shoots that occupy a specific area or commercial photography intended for wide public distribution require prior permission.
Drones are also prohibited — both bringing them in and flying them.
Enjoy Showa Kinen Park at Your Own Pace
Showa Kinen Park is renowned for its seasonal flowers, but it also offers the flexibility to relax on the lawn, stroll through a Japanese garden, cycle across the grounds, or explore a recreated satoyama landscape — all within a single park.
By choosing your entrance based on what you want to see and checking bloom times and opening hours in advance, even first-time visitors will find it easy to plan a satisfying visit.
