The Showa Kinen Park, which also goes by the names Showa Memorial Park or Showa Kinen Koen, is a popular tourist destination that is just thirty minutes away from Central Tokyo.
Covering more than 160 hectares of land, the park houses tons of seasonal flower gardens, natural spaces, water features, sports facilities, and museums. As such, the park serves as a perfect place for tourists looking to spend a day simply bonding with their friends or family amidst a spacious and lush environment.
Facilities and Attractions of the Showa Kinen Park – Waterfowl Lake, Rainbow Pool, Etc.
Green Cultural Zone
The Green Cultural Zone of Showa Kinen Park does not charge any admission fees to visitors. It can be found at one corner of the park, particularly near the Akebono Entrance and Information Center that provides tourists with various national guide maps and pamphlets.
A few meters ahead, the Emperor Showa Memorial Museum can be found, as well as a road that stretches on throughout the park and leads to the opposite Tachikawa Gate where visitors may purchase tickets to gain access to the other sections of the Showa Kinen Park.
Canal and Fountain
After going past the Tachikawa Gate, a canal lined with trees welcomes visitors into the park. This canal spans for about two hundred meters before meeting with a birdbath-style fountain that was put there as tribute to Emperor Showa.
Bicycle Rental and Dog Park
A few more steps ahead, tourists will come across the Tachikawa Gate Bicycle Rental Center and a space dedicated to dogs. This section is the only place where dogs may run freely. At other parts of the Showa Kinen Park, visitors are required to keep their dogs on a leash.
Fureai Field
The Fureai Field, or also known as the Meeting Place, is located a few meters away from the fountain of Emperor Showa. It serves as a pleasant place to watch the helicopters of the neighboring Tachikawa Airfield takeoff and land.
Visitors are also free to enjoy the section’s large restaurant, traditional folk performances, and numerous outdoor statues.
Waterfowl Lake
Waterfowl Lake is five minutes away from the Fureai Field by foot. The massive lake spans over a total area of five hectares. As such, visitors may rent our pedal boats and spend some of their time appreciating the trees and flowers that line the banks of the lake from a closer perspective.
The space between the Fureai Field and the Waterfowl Lake is also quite interesting, as it is sometimes used as a venue for various exhibits.
Flowering Tree Garden
The Flowering Tree Garden of the Showa Kinen Park features hundreds of peonies, plum trees, and cherry blossom trees, among other stunning plants. There is also an interactive wildlife display built into the area, which turns the section into a quaint little museum.
Bird Sanctuary
The Bird Sanctuary is a 3.5-hectare space that is home to various bird species. To suit their needs, different kinds of trees and plants can also be found in this section. Visitors may rent out binoculars from the Flowering Tree Garden to view the birds from afar or simply take a seat at one of the sanctuary’s benches and listen to the birds sing.
Minna no Harappa
Minna no Harappa, or “The Plain of Everyone” refers to a grassy area that measures 11 hectares in total. It serves as the Showa Kinen Park’s main recreational area and is often filled with families engaged in various activities.
At the far end of the plain, visitors can find the Sakura Grove and the Dragonfly Marsh, which are especially beautiful during the spring season.
Forest Zone
The Forest Zone is considered to be the most popular section of the Showa Kinen Park, given its abundance of attractions that pay proper tribute to the Japanese culture. It can be found a few hundred meters away from the Sunagawa Gate. Some notable points of interest include the Komorebi Model Village and Pond, and the Japanese Garden.
The Komorebi Model Village and Pond offers visitors a look into the lives of the Japanese people during the rule of Emperor Showa. The village serves as a replica of an old Japanese agricultural town and houses different technologies from the era including rice milling machines and silk-making machines.
As for the Japanese Garden which is centered around a pond and fenced off from the rest of the Forest Zone, the art of Japanese landscaping can be fully appreciated through the massive expanse. There is even a man-made hill that measures thirty meters in height overlooking the stunning garden.
Visitors may also enjoy a cup of tea or two at the Kanfu-tei, a traditional Japanese teahouse located at the garden premises.
Children’s Forest
The Children’s Forest can be found a short walk towards the west from the Japanese Garden. This section serves as a fun nature park for kids and is home to different wood-themed attractions to keep them busy throughout the day.
Bicycle Hire
Visitors of the Showa Kinen Park are offered with more than ten kilometers of bike trails to cover. Bicycle Rental Centers can be found at the Nishi-Tachikawa Gate, Sunagawa Gate, and Tachikawa Gate.
For three hours, adult bikes may be rented out for 410 yen per person, while bikes for children costs about 260 yen per person. The Bike Rental Center of the Tachikawa Gate also has tandem bikes and unicycles available for rent.
These bikes may be borrowed starting at 9:30 AM in the morning up to an hour before the Showa Kinen Park closes for the day. Tourists should note that these bikes come in limited numbers and should make it a point to get to the park as early as possible to avoid missing out on the fun.
Rainbow Pool
The Rainbow Pool is a separate section of the park which requires visitors to pay an additional fee to enter. Nine different kinds of swimming pools make up the majority of the 6-hectare land. It is only open every summer from July to September.
For the kids, a Water Playland can be located nearby, which also requires an additional admission fee.
Admission Fee: 2,250 yen per person (For Adults); 1,220 yen per person (For Children); 310 yen per person (For Toddlers)
Barbecue Garden
The Barbecue Garden, as implied by its name, provides visitors of the park with different barbecue equipment and tons of space for outdoor activities such as croquet, futsal, or disc golf.
Those interested in using the facilities must make a booking at least a couple of months prior to their actual visit. This section is usually open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Flower Festivals and Fireworks at the Showa Kinen Park
The Showa Kinen Park is a lovely place to visit any time of the year. It is particularly popular for being among the best hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots near Tokyo but is also known for featuring the most stunning koyo (autumn colors) of Japan.
Aside from these main events, the park’s abundance of seasonal flowers, namely, rapeseed (nanohana), poppies, azaleas (tsutsuji), and tulips attracts hundreds and thousands of visitors on an annual basis. These flowers bloom at different seasons but generally reach their peaks sometime between late-Spring and early-Summer.
A safe time to visit the Showa Kinen Park to view a wide array of flowers would be from late-March to May, which is when the main flower festival of the park is held. Alternatively, those who want to catch lovely fireworks displays may want to visit during the summer instead.
Come winter, the park is just as beautiful, if not more, with the addition of LED string lights and other illuminations.
Map & Access to the Showa Kinen Park of Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
The Showa Kinen Park can be accessed from Central Tokyo through the JR Chuo Line. The Nishi-Tachikawa Station and Tachikawa Station serve as the nearest and most convenient stations for tourists to get off at and make their way to the multiple entrances of the park.
From the Shinjuku Station to the Nishi-Tachikawa Station, a one-way trip usually takes about forty minutes of travel time and costs about 470 yen per person. Alternatively, the Tachikawa Station can be reached in just thirty minutes from Shinjuku, with the one-way ride costing about 470 yen per person, as well.
It should be noted that the Showa Kinen Park is open only open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM during March – October, while from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM during November – February. On Saturday, Sunday, and holidays between April – September, visitors may enter the park from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM.
In addition, tourists should keep in mind that the Showa Kinen Park is closed every December 31, January 1, and on the fourth Monday and Tuesday of February. The admission fee charged by the park remains at 410 yen per person, all throughout the year.
Hotels near Showa Kinen Park, Tokyo, Japan
Palace Hotel Tachikawa
Palace Hotel Tachikawa is just five minutes away from the JR Tachikawa Station by foot. The hotel features modern rooms and offers its guests with free WiFi connection, up to seven different dining options, massage services, and dry cleaning services. Luggage storage spaces may also be rented out at the hotel’s front desk which is open 24/7.
Rating: 8.2 out of 10
Address: 2-40-15 Akebono-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 190-0012
Hotel Rex Tachikawa
Hotel Rex Tachikawa is conveniently located less than a kilometer away from the Showa Kinen Park and JR Tachikawa Station. It is a relatively new hotel that just opened its doors to the public less than ten years ago but has easily built a reputation for being one of the best lodging options for foreign travelers.
Its air-conditioned rooms are all equipped with electric kettles, flat-screen TVs, and private bathrooms. Several drink vending machines are also available at the property, along with coin-operated laundry machines.
Rating: 7.7 out of 10
Address: 3-15-1 Takamatsu-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 190-0011
Tachikawa Regent Hotel
Tachikawa Regent Hotel offers its guests with air-conditioned rooms, free WiFi and wired internet connections, and a complimentary light breakfast meal, among other services. As a means to make tourists feel at home as possible, Japanese yukata robes and standard toiletries are provided in each room.
For convenience, the front desk of the hotel is open 24 hours a day to answer any inquiries regarding photocopying, dry cleaning, luggage storage, and other matters. Humidifiers may also be requested from the front desk and will be brought straight to the room.
Rating: 7.9 out of 10
Address: 2-11-7 Akebonocho, Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 190-0012
Tachikawa Grand Hotel
Tachikawa Grand Hotel is a 3-star hotel that can be found a few hundred meters away from the Showa Kinen Park and Seibu-Dome. Each of its rooms comes complete with a private bathroom, free WiFi connection, and a wardrobe, along with the basic household necessities.
The hotel’s dining area typically offers Western meals during breakfast and Japanese dishes during lunch and dinner.
Rating: 7.8 out of 10
Address: 2-14-16 Akebono-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 190-0012
Hotel Nikko Tachikawa Tokyo
Hotel Nikko Tachikawa Tokyo just reopened its doors to the public in 2015 after it underwent several renovations to integrate more modern facilities. The property now houses an on-site restaurant and offers guests with free WiFi connection at every section.
All of the rooms are fitted with private bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, and adequate air-conditioning systems. To make the stay of their guests much more comfortable, the hotel provides free toiletries, slippers, and robes to each person.
The Showa Kinen Park is just 1.5 kilometers away from Hotel Nikko Tachikawa Tokyo and can easily be reached by foot.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Address: 1-12-1 Nishiki-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 190-0022
Hotel Mystays Tachikawa
Hotel Mystays Tachikawa provides its guests with private parking and free WiFi connection, among other useful facilities. It is located five hundred meters away from the JR Tachikawa Station and less than two kilometers away from the Showa Kinen Park.
Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Address: 1-8-14 Nishikicho, Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 190-0022
Forest Inn Showakan
Forest Inn Showakan houses an on-site bar, garden, and restaurant for guests to enjoy. It is located a bit farther from the Showa Kinen Park compared to the other hotels but offers free shuttle services for the convenience of tourists. Its rooms are quite spacious and some even feature workstations and seating areas.
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
Address: Showanomoro, Akishima, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 196-8601
Hotel S&S Mori Town
Hotel S&S Mori Town is located in Akishima, about 4.4 kilometers away from the Showa Kinen Park. Aside from air-conditioned rooms and free WiFi connection, guests are also offered with currency exchange services, rentable luggage storage spaces, and buffet breakfasts.
Rating: 7.9 out of 10
Address: 562-8 Tanakacho, Akishima, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan 196-0014