Day 3: Showa Kinen Park, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and Shinjuku in Tokyo
On Monday, November 24, 2025, I spent the day exploring Showa Kinen Park, Meiji Jingu, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Deck.
Before heading out to Showa Kinen Park, I had breakfast at the hotel. Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku offers a buffet-style breakfast with croissants, fresh fruit, a salad station, and Japanese-style options like rice, soup, pickled vegetables, and fish, available for ¥3,300 ($21). I figured I might as well try it once. It was good! But, I personally don’t love spending that much on breakfast, so I opted to grab food from FamilyMart on the other days.
Showa Kinen Park
After breakfast, I walked to Shinjuku Station to take the JR Chuo Line to Showa Kinen Park. The park is a massive 160-hectare (395-acre) green space located in Tachikawa, just outside central Tokyo. It’s especially popular during cherry blossom season and again in the fall for its vibrant autumn colors. In fall, the park is open from 9:30am - 4:30pm and costs ¥450 to enter. I arrived shortly after opening and found a line already forming, but it moved fairly quickly.
Just beyond the park’s entrance are two boulevards of golden yellow ginkgo trees. It was nice getting to the park so early so that I was able to get pictures without a ton of people around!
Given the park’s size, many visitors rent bikes or take the train that loops around the park, but I chose to explore on foot so I could take everything in at a slower pace. I started at Waterfowl Pond, the park’s southern lake, where paddleboats are available to rent. I didn’t go that route, but it looked like a peaceful way to spend time in the park.
From there, I made my way to the Japanese Garden, which ended up being one of my favorite areas. The maple trees were a vibrant red, and the pond made it especially fun to photograph reflections of the trees and people walking by.
Near the Japanese Garden, there was a stand selling mitarashi dango, a soft, chewy Japanese rice dumpling sold in groups of three on a skewer and coated in a sweet-savory glaze. They were delicious!
After spending a good amount of time at the Japanese Garden, I continued on to Flower Hill, hoping to see some fall flowers. As I probably should have expected, it was a bit late in the season, and the area was mostly bare, unless I somehow wandered to the wrong spot.
Either way, I already know I’ll be back in Japan someday. I’ll just have to return in the spring to see the park in full bloom next time!
I then made my way back toward the entrance to head back to Shinjuku, walking through the Open Field where I saw so many people enjoying the beautiful weather, some even set up tents to relax and escape the sun.
Before leaving the park, I stopped at Foglia Botanical Park Café, one of the cafés near the entrance, for lunch. I ordered the salad with prosciutto and truffle dressing, which was a great light meal after a morning of walking.
Afterward, I walked to Tachikawa Station to take the JR Chuo Line back to Shinjuku, then continued on to Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine located in Shibuya.
Meiji Jingu
Meiji Jingu opens at sunrise and closes at sunset and is free to enter. I entered the shrine through Kitasando Torii, the northern entrance near Yoyogi Station. The torii gates mark the boundary between the secular world and the sacred space beyond.
As I walked through the forest towards the main shrine, it was hard to believe I was still in the middle of Tokyo. I stopped to photograph the consecrated barrels of sake and wine, offerings donated by brewers from across Japan and around the world.
I spent about an hour wandering through Meiji Jingu. It was a truly peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
From there, I made my way to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Deck to catch the sunset from the South Tower.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has two towers, each with a free observation deck providing panoramic views of Tokyo and beyond. It was the tallest building in Tokyo until 2007, when the Midtown Tower was completed.
The North Observatory is closed on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, making the South Observatory my only option that day. When I got in line at 4:20pm, there wasn’t much of a wait. By 4:25pm, the line had grown noticeably longer, but it moved quickly, and I was at the top by 4:35pm, just in time for sunset.
Seeing the city stretch out from the 45th floor was absolutely beautiful. And, I was able to see Mt. Fuji! Since the observation deck is enclosed, there was some glare on the windows as the sky darkened, but it didn’t take away from the experience.
After sunset, the building hosts the Tokyo Night & Light show, which runs daily every 30 minutes from 5:30–9:30pm. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building itself becomes the canvas for a massive projection-mapping display, officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest permanent projection-mapping display in the world. Each night features a rotating selection of visuals created by both local and international artists. Click here to see the videos of the Tokyo Night & Light Show!
Dinner and Omoide Yokocho
Next, I walked to ICHIRAN Shinjuku Kabukicho for dinner. ICHIRAN is a very popular ramen chain known for its customizable tonkotsu ramen, featuring a rich, creamy pork-bone broth and thin noodles that originated in Fukuoka Prefecture. Currently, it has 88 locations, with 80 stores in Japan and 8 overseas branches. Diners can customize everything from noodle firmness and broth richness to spice level, with optional add-ons like extra noodles, extra meat, and a soy-marinated egg.
ICHIRAN doesn’t take reservations, and when I arrived at 6:00pm, there was already a line. I waited about 30 minutes, but it was absolutely worth it.
Orders are placed through a small window at each individual booth, and the ramen is served through the same opening. The setup creates a unique, almost private dining experience that lets you focus entirely on the food. It’s easy to see why ICHIRAN is such a popular spot!
After dinner, I walked through Omoide Yokocho, also known as Memory Lane. This narrow, jam-packed alley is lined with tiny bars and restaurants and is reminiscent of the good old days, making it a beloved local spot for Tokyo street food and drinks.
I tried to stop for a drink at one place, but when I mentioned that I only wanted a drink, not dinner and a drink, they politely declined, which I understood. Eventually, I found a spot that was happy to serve me just a drink, and I ordered a yuzu highball. It was really good.
I headed back to the hotel around 8:30pm, feeling very happy and satisfied after a successful first full day in Tokyo.
