Taiwan definitely can't see Japan's top ten dreamy ginkgo spots

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department

As the crisp autumn season arrives, visiting Japan at this time is not only perfect for enjoying the red leaves but also a must for experiencing the dreamlike beauty of ginkgo trees. The ginkgos, transitioning from green to golden yellow, paint the blue sky and green grass with a brilliant yellow hue, creating a scene that feels like a fairy tale and is especially romantic. Below are ten recommended ginkgo-viewing spots in Japan, each one a flurry of gold—a beautiful sight you won’t find in Taiwan. Travelers can take notes and use them as references for their next trip to Japan.

1. Tokyo – Showa Park
The national Showa Memorial Park, just over 30 minutes away by express train from Shinjuku Station, is a great choice for those looking to avoid the crowds at popular urban red leaf spots. Dominated by ginkgo trees, the park’s 180 hectares are covered with golden-yellow ginkgo leaves, resembling a golden carpet. The scenery is poetic and picturesque, offering a rare sense of spaciousness and greenery in Tokyo.

2. Tokyo – Meiji Jingu Gaien
During autumn, the ginkgo avenue at Meiji Jingu Gaien is a famously renowned autumn scenic spot in Tokyo. The over 100 towering ginkgo trees lining both sides make it a popular choice for locals during the fall, often crowded on weekends. It’s one of the most iconic and popular spots in central Tokyo.

3. Kyoto – Nishihonganji Temple
Located in Kyoto, Nishihonganji Temple has a ginkgo tree in front of the temple grounds that is over 400 years old. Every autumn, the massive ginkgo turns into a burst of golden yellow, as if greeting visitors with full vitality. Additionally, in Kyoto, you’ll often find streets lined with ginkgo trees as roadside trees—especially near intersections like Horikawa-dori, Higashi-oji-dori, and Kinugasa-gawa-dori close to Kyoto University—where rows of golden ginkgos are breathtakingly beautiful.

4. Hokkaido – Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University has vast research forests in Tomakomai. Although these are research forests for the university’s Faculty of Agriculture, parts of them are open to visitors. Covering 2,700 hectares, the area is expansive, and every autumn when the maples and other trees change color, they attract many visitors.