Jindai Botanical Gardens

Jindai Botanical Garden opened in 1961 as the first botanical garden in Tokyo. Originally a nursery to grow trees for Tokyo streets, it became a public greenery area (jindai ryokuchi) after the war before becoming a botanical garden. Its 490,000 square meters of land are home to 100,000 trees from 4,800 species. The garden is divided into 30 areas according to the type of plant, such as the rose garden, azalea garden, ume garden and bush clover garden. In 1984 a large greenhouse was built for unusual tropical plants. One of the most popular spots is the lily pond; there is also an off-leash area for pet dogs. To get there take the Odakyu bus bound for Chofu Station North Exit (or Jindaiji Temple from JR Chuo-Maine Line Mitaka Station or Kichijoji Station) and disembark at Jindai Botanical Garden Mae bus stop. The whole journey takes about 10 minutes.