Asukayama Park Autumn Illumination

Asukayama Park Autumn Illumination

While Asukayama is primarily famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot (known as sakura in Japanese), the park’s deeper wooded areas are home to other beautiful trees, including Japanese maples (momiji or kaede), which are stunning in autumn.

Currently, this specific area of the park is typically only accessible during the daytime on weekdays, as it’s a protected natural space. However, during the special illumination event, the park remained open into the evening, allowing visitors to enjoy the vibrantly lit autumn foliage at night.

Asukayama Park and Eiichi Shibusawa

Asukayama was also once the site of the residence of Eiichi Shibusawa, a pivotal figure who made immense contributions to Japan’s economic recovery after World War II.

Asukayama has been renowned for its scenic beauty since the Edo Period (1603-1868), so it’s easy to see why someone like Shibusawa would choose to build his home there. Asukayama Park sits on the cliffside of a plateau that stretches from the Akabane area to Ueno. The park itself is on the plateau side. The Otonashi River flows alongside Asukayama, creating a picturesque landscape of a gorge and mountain that has been enjoyed by people since the Edo Period.

Opening of Restricted Areas

Asukayama Park is now well-maintained and largely divided into two main sections: the park area and the museum area.

The park area is free for everyone to explore, but the museum section requires a paid ticket for entry. The particular area that was lit up for this event is generally open to the public but only during the daytime. Normally, it closes at night, and entry is not permitted after dark.

During the illumination period, these restrictions were eased, allowing visitors to walk through the area even at night. The lighting wasn’t limited to just the maple trees; other trees were also illuminated, and the colors would change, making for an enjoyable visual experience.