Shinjuku Gyoen is a 144-acre national garden in Tokyo, completed in 1906 after four years of redesign work on a former feudal estate.
The grounds blend three distinct garden styles – French formal, English landscape, and traditional Japanese – along with sweeping lawns and a large greenhouse of tropical plants. Landscape work drew on expertise from the Versailles horticultural school before the site reopened to the public as a national garden after World War II.
Most visitors spend about 1.5 to 2 hours here, though many recommend budgeting closer to 2 to 3 hours to see all three garden styles and the greenhouse without rushing.
