|
While the 23-ward area officially counts 5432 parks and the Tama area 4474, most of them are not much more than a bench and a fountain water. Perhaps due to the high population density and the lack of high-rise housing units, Tokyo suffers from a serious shortage of green space compared to other big cities:
|
City
|
Population, mil
|
Parkland/capita, m2
|
|
|
Toronto
|
2.4
|
46.9
|
|
London 32-boroughs
|
6.6
|
25.3
|
|
Seoul 25-gu
|
10.1
|
14.9
|
|
New York 5-boroughs
|
8.1
|
13.9
|
|
Paris 20-arrondissements
|
2.1
|
8.0
|
|
Tokyo 23-ward1
|
8.5
|
2.9
|
|
|
1
|
source: Keizai Koho Center, Japan 1999: An International Comparison, 106, 1999.
|
On the bright side, Tokyo's Green Space Plan 2000 aims to develop 400 hectares of parks in the city by 2015, which would effectively increase the amount of green space per person by 0.5 square meter. While the amount of parkland is seldom, it is generally very well developped and pleasant to explore. Here is a list of the major gardens and parks within Tokyo's 23 wards, with many offering impeccable gardening and landscaping ranging from traditional japanese to western style:
|
Park/Garden
|
Inauguration
|
Ward
|
Access
|
Area, m2
|
|
|
|
Kasai Rinkai Koen Park
|
1989
|
Edogawa
|
Kasai Rinkai Koen, JR Keiyo line
|
795,831 |
|
Hikarigaoka Koen Park
|
1981
|
Itabashi
|
Hikarigaoka, Oedo line
|
607,823 |
|
Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
|
1872
|
Shinjuku
|
Shinjuku-Gyoen-mae, Marunouchi line
|
583,000 |
|
Yoyogi Koen Park
|
1967
|
Shibuya
|
Yoyogi Koen, Chiyoda line
|
540,529 |
|
Ueno Onshi Koen Park
|
1874
|
Taito
|
Ueno, Ginza and Hibiya lines
|
533,981 |
|
Yume No Shima Koen Park
|
1978
|
Koto
|
Shin-Kiba, JR Keiyo and Yurakucho and Rinkai lines
|
433,212 |
|
Hamarikyu Onshi Teien Garden
|
1946
|
Chuo
|
Shiodome station, Oedo line
|
250,165 |
|
Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden
|
1960
|
Chiyoda
|
Otemachi exit C10, Marunouchi and many other lines
|
210,000 |
|
Hibiya Koen Park
|
1904
|
Chiyoda
|
Kasumigaseki, Marunouchi and Chiyoda lines
|
161,636 |
|
Koshikiwa Botanical Garden
|
1877
|
Bunkyo
|
Myogadani, Marunouchi line
|
160,000 |
|
Rikugi-en Garden
|
1938
|
Bunkyo
|
Komagome, Namboku and JR lines
|
87,809 |
|
Kiyosumi Teien Garden
|
1932
|
Koto
|
Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Oedo and Hanzomon line
|
81,091 |
|
Koshikikawa Korakuen Garden
|
1938
|
Bunkyo
|
Iidabashi exit 6, Oedo line
|
70,847 |
|
Kyu-Furukawa Teien Garden
|
1956
|
Kita
|
Nishigahara, Namboku line
|
30,780 |
|
Mukojima Hyakka-en Garden
|
1939
|
Sumida
|
Higashi-Mukojima, Tobu Isesaki line
|
10,885 |
|
|
