Showa Kinen Park: An Oasis in the City, the Largest Park in Tokyo

Showa Kinen Park 

(Tachikawa City, Tokyo) 

【Oasisu（オアシス）】 is the Japanese word for “oasis.” It originally refers to a place in the middle of a desert where water can be found. The word is said to come from Ancient Greek. Nowadays, the word is also used metaphorically to describe a peaceful or relaxing place, such as a park or a café, surrounded by concrete buildings in a big city.

Showa Kinen Park, located in Tachikawa City, Tokyo, is truly an oasis in the city — a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of urban life. It is the largest national park in Tokyo, covering about 180 hectares. Just walking around the park at a relaxed pace takes about two hours. Inside the park, you’ll find wide open lawns, a pond where you can enjoy boating, and cycling paths that stretch throughout the grounds.

I visited the park on a clear autumn day in November. Entering through the gate closest to JR Tachikawa Station, a straight row of ginkgo trees appeared in front me. Their golden leaves formed a yellow arch overhead, and fallen leaves covered the path underfoot. People were trying to capture the perfect moment beneath the canopy as a memory. It felt as if everything had blended into the vivid autumn colors of nature.

Walking into the park and passing a wide field where a majestic 100-year-old zelkova tree stands, I arrived at the serene Japanese garden. As the sun began to set, the maple leaves had turned an even deeper shade of red, and the soft sunlight shining through the thin leaves made their color even more vivid. On the surface of the pond, the red foliage and crimson-tinged sky were reflected like a painting. Some leaves floated gently on the water, carried by the breeze, a moment filled with the quiet beauty of a Japanese autumn.

The park offers beautiful scenery not only in autumn, but throughout all four seasons. In spring, cherry blossoms and tulips bloom; in summer, it’s filled with sunflowers; in autumn, colorfual fall foliage; and in winter, dazzling illumination events. Each visit brings a new seasonal experience.

In addition to the restful nature, Showa Kinen Park and the area around Tachikawa Station are sometimes featured as backgrounds in anime or films. You might recognize a familiar scene from one of your favorite works.

Blending nature, culture, and recreation, Showa Kinen Park truly represents “Oasis in the city.” It’s a place where each visit offers new discoveries and moments of calm in the heart of urban Tokyo. 

 Please visit the official website of Showa Kinen Park.