Autumn foliage spots 2022 in the Chuo Line

It’s autumn foliage season in Japan again this year! Restrictions on covid19 have been eased and the number of foreign tourists is increasing these days.
It has been a while since I have introduced autumn foliage spots in Japan.

In the past, I wrote about autumn foliage mainly in central Tokyo, but this time, I would like to introduce autumn foliage spots in the Chuo Line, a little outside of the city.

Tokyo autumn foliage in 2017

Beautiful Autumn Foliage in Tokyo 2018

What is the Chuo Line?

The Chuo Line is a popular train line extending west from Tokyo. With convenient transportation to the city center and more nature, such as parks and rivers, than in the city center, it is a good living environment and an educational area with many schools. It is also home to subcultures favored by cultured people and entertainers. The Chuo Line gives the impression of being cultured and fashionable.

In the above posts on autumn foliage, the Showa Kinen Park in the upper 2017 post is the park around Tachikawa Station on the Chuo Line.

This time, the autumn foliage spots are at Kokubunji and Musashikoganei Stations.
This area is rich in water and greenery, with the Kokubunji Cliff Line running through it.
It is not a famous spot, so you can enjoy the autumn leaves in a relaxing and calm atmosphere.

Tonogayato teien（殿ヶ谷戸庭園）

A Japanese garden located at the south exit of Kokubunji Station. The garden utilizes a terraced cliff. In the Meiji era it was the villa of the Iwasaki family, a businessman. Later, when the area was redeveloped, the garden was purchased by the national government and became a fee-charging garden, partly due to the residents’ movement. It is designated as a national place of scenic beauty. It is famous for its autumn foliage and has a pond that utilizes spring water, a natural feature of the Musashino area.

The park has a large lawn area, surrounded by maple trees and pine trees. The gradation of colors is beautiful. Trees are planted on the slope of terraced hills.

Jirobenten Pond (次郎弁天池)is a spring-fed pond. The scenery is typical of a Japanese garden. The building above is Momijitei. The pond and the autumn leaves look more beautiful from Momijitei.（紅葉亭）

Tonogayato Teien（殿ヶ谷戸庭園）

【Location】	Minami-cho 2-chome, Kokubunji City, Tokyo
【Business Hours】	9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Admission until 4:30 p.m.) *Closed during the year-end and New Year holidays.
【Admission】	¥150 for adults
【Access】	Kokubunji Station on the JR Chuo Line, Seibu Kokubunji Line and Seibu Tamako Line. 2-minute walk from Kokubunji Station.
【Official website】	https://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/format/index036.html#googtrans(en)

Sorosenen（滄浪泉園）

Located about a 15-minute walk from Musashi Koganei Station, Sorosenen is the villa garden of Mr.Hatano, a businessman and diplomat of the Meiji and Taisho periods. The name “Sorosenen” was given by former Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai. The garden is a fee-charging garden with abundant nature and spring water, and is a green space conservation area. Inside, it is like a hiking trail or a small forest.

This stone gate marker was handwritten by former Prime Minister Inukai.

I walked through the colored fallen leaves. There are stone steps along the way, and you can feel the difference in height of the terraced hills.

As I proceeded, I came to a spring-fed pond, and the trees reflected on the surface of the water were beautiful. As you can see in the photo, there is a pool of water gushing out of the spring, and there is an explanation on the information board.

The slightly yellowish green before turning red is also beautiful, but it would have been even more beautiful if the leaves had turned a little more red.

Sorosenen(滄浪泉園)

【Location】	3-2-28 Nukui Minami-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo
【Business hours】	9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Admission until 4:30 p.m.) *Closed during the year-end and New Year holidays.
【Admission】	100 yen for adults
【Access】	About 15 minutes on foot from Musashi Koganei Station on the Chuo Line.
【Official website】	https://www-city-koganei-lg-jp.translate.goog/smph/kurashi/479/kouenitiran/souronsenen/D040102020160415.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja

Musashino Park（武蔵野公園）

Musashino Park is a metropolitan park, a large park with a river called Nogawa river flowing through it. The park is located in a quiet, well-maintained, vast field. It is a large space with a fairly open feeling. There is also a lawn area where families are playing. It is a wonderful environment for children. The blue sky and the spreading greenery are beautiful.

Musashino Park is a more famous spot than the two gardens introduced above, and was a little crowded as it is a place of relaxation for people living nearby.

The bank-like area is lined with red and yellow colored trees, and many people were enjoying the autumn leaves while walking. It is also good for dog walking. The contrast between the blue of the sky and the green of the riverside is beautiful.

It is a very large park with barbecue and baseball fields. Musashino Park is up to the Seibu Tamagawa Line tracks, and Nogawa Park continues along the Nogawa River beyond those tracks. In addition, Tama Cemetery is located just to the south, and there is quite a collection of greenery in this area.

Musashino Park

【Location】	Maehara-cho 2-chome, Higashimachi 5-chome, Nakamachi 1-chome, Koganei-shi, Tokyo; Tamacho 2 and 3-chome, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo
【Access】	Take the Keio Bus bound for Chofu from the south exit of JR Musashi Koganei Station, and get off at Musashino Park.
【Official website】	https://musashinoparks.com/english/

Unlike the famous spots in the center of Tokyo, there are not so many people at all spots, so you can enjoy the autumn leaves and Japanese gardens at your leisure. Please come and visit us when you come to Japan.