Season by season
Spring (March–May)
Late March to mid-April is cherry-blossom time in Shinjuku Gyoen, which has early and late varieties and so a longer season than most parks. Expect queues and possible advance reservations on peak weekends. Mild evenings are ideal for the alleys.
Summer (June–August)
Hot, humid and, in June and early July, rainy. The district’s covered arcades, department stores and underground passages make it one of the easier places to be in summer. Evenings stay warm and the beer gardens on store rooftops open.
Autumn (September–November)
September can bring typhoons; October is clear and comfortable. Shinjuku Gyoen’s maples and ginkgo usually peak from mid-November to early December, and the chrysanthemum exhibition is held in early November.
Winter (December–February)
Cold, dry and bright, with the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji from the observatory. Winter illuminations light the South Exit terrace and the west-side towers from November. New Year sales start on 1–2 January.
Month by month
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10°C | 1°C | 60 mm | Busy |
| February | 11°C | 2°C | 57 mm | Quiet |
| March | 14°C | 5°C | 116 mm | Very busy |
| April | 19°C | 10°C | 134 mm | Very busy |
| May | 24°C | 15°C | 140 mm | Very busy |
| June | 26°C | 19°C | 168 mm | Busy |
| July | 30°C | 22°C | 156 mm | Busy |
| August | 31°C | 24°C | 155 mm | Busy |
| September | 28°C | 20°C | 225 mm | Busy |
| October | 22°C | 15°C | 235 mm | Very busy |
| November | 17°C | 9°C | 96 mm | Very busy |
| December | 12°C | 4°C | 58 mm | Busy |
Temperatures are approximate long-term averages; individual years vary.
Festivals & events
- Late March–April: cherry blossom in Shinjuku Gyoen
- Late May: Hanazono Shrine grand festival, with portable shrines carried through the streets
- Late July: Shinjuku Eisa Festival, Okinawan drum dancing around the station
- November: Tori-no-Ichi fair at Hanazono Shrine, with stalls selling decorated good-luck rakes on the “days of the rooster”
- November–February: winter illuminations around the South Exit and Nishi-Shinjuku
Our advice
Come twice if you can: once by day for the garden and the view, once after dark for the east side. If you only have an evening, arrive before sunset, go up the government building first and work your way east. Friday and Saturday nights are the most atmospheric but also the most crowded; for Golden Gai, a weeknight is easier.
