It’s foliage season, my favorite time of year, and I am stuck in 87*F southern California. Not that palm trees aren’t pretty mind you … 😉 I’m just very excited to head back to Japan in two weeks to catch the autumn leaves in their splendor. (I’m hoping at least. It’s been a bit colder than normal in Tokyo lately. I hope I don’t miss them all!)
For those of you in Tokyo at the moment, here’s a great foliage spot to add to your list. The post this week is a little unusual, in that Otaguro Park is not a traditional garden. I never would have tracked it down had I not been diligently combing the internet for the best places to go in Tokyo to see the leaves that weren’t completely mobbed with people. A one-paragraph blurb mentioned Otaguro Park, once the former residence of music critic Motoo Otaguro. His house is still there, with some paraphernalia on display from his career, but the highlight is what they have done to his grounds.
A stroll garden has been created around the remainder of the grounds. Opened in 1981, it has no real history behind it. But it is a lovely layout, with viewing pavilions, stone bridges, a pond, a waterfall, and a variety of colors in all seasons.
The best, it seems, is the autumn, when the maples turn a brilliant shade of red.
However, the entry path to the garden is an equal highlight, as it is lined with ginkgo trees that turn a gorgeous shade of gold as the weather turns cooler.
Otaguro Park is quite easy to reach, just an 8-10 minute walk southeast of Ogikubo Station on the Chuo Line, west of Shinjuku.
Uncover Japan 
Is this one of the Gardens we visited on your Fall Colours tour last year?
Hi Brid! Yes! It was garden #2. Also somewhat in the area (on the western side of the city, at least) is Gotoku-ji temple, which has some of Tokyo’s earlier colors.
Oh! I haven’t visited this one yet!
Is it accessible with stroller?
I thought about visiting Tonogayato teien during fall this year, but it is a little bit difficult (little one doesn’t like the Ergo for too long, so a stroller is nice to give him some rest..).
Sorry for my late reply, Anika! Yes, most of it is accessible by stroller. It’s a flat 10 minute walk from the station and there is a pave path around the garden itself. Those stepping stones are the only part I remember that you may have trouble with. I hope you get to see it, if the snow today hasn’t made all the foliage disappear!