The museum's gardens, a green oasis in the center of the city, consist of three areas. Each changes with the season; all await your visit.
The Lawn
This spacious area, which has been covered in a beautiful lawn since the days when the museum was the Prince Asaka Residence, offers a breathtaking sense of freedom. The large Aphananthe aspera tree in the center is said to have been transplanted there from near where the Great Dining Hall is now in the Main Building during the construction of the Prince Asaka Residence.
Japanese Garden
This garden also lives on from the period when the site was the Prince Asaka Residence. Its features include a small hill and a pond for views of a richly varied, rolling setting. Its tea house adds a distinctively Japanese touch. The autumn foliage in the Japanese Garden is not to be missed.
European Garden
This area was originally occupied by housing for civil servants serving in the Imperial Household Ministry. It was later turned into a garden and transferred to the museum. In 2018, improvements to the paths and trees have made it an even more relaxing space. In spring, cherry trees that were a return gift from Washington, D.C., are a lovely sight.
○Open
10:00 – 18:00
*Last admission to the garden is 30 minutes before closing.
※For your safety, some sections of the paths in the Japanese Garden are open to visitors only during the following hours:
October to March: 10:00 to 16:30
April to September: 10:00 to 18:00
○Closed
• Monday (Open, however, if that day falls on a national holiday, then closed on the following day.)
• New Year Holidays.
* When the Museum is closed for the installation of a new exhibition, the Main Building and Annex will be closed, but the garden will be open.
○Garden admission fees
Adults: ¥200 (¥160)
College and vocational students: ¥160 (¥120)
Junior high and high school students and seniors (65 and over): ¥100 (¥80)
• Figures in parentheses are group admission fees (for groups of 20 or more).
• Admission is free for elementary and younger students and for middle school students residing in or attending school in Tokyo.
• Admission is free for visitors (and one accompanying person) with a Physical Disability Certificate, Intellectual Disability Certificate, Rehabilitation Certificate, Mental Disability Certificate, or Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate. • Admission is free for seniors (65 and above) on the third Wednesday of each month.
* A ticket for admission to the Museum also admits you to the garden.
○To Our Garden Visitors
To enable all visitors to enjoy the garden, the following are not permitted:
• Smoking, other than in the designated smoking area.
• Play using balls, rackets, or other equipment.
• Pets (except for service dogs).
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Using musical instruments, radios, or music players.
• Leaving trash in the garden. (To avoid problems with crows, if you eat or drink in the garden, take all your trash out with you.)
• Use of reflective sheets and other aids to photography. (Permission is required for photography for commercial purposes. For details, please contact the Museum.)
• Unattended preschool-age children. (Please accompany your preschool-age children in the garden.)
• Dangerous objects.
• Any other behaviors that would disturb other visitors.
