YOYOGI PARK

Description

Essentials about Yoyogi Park in brief

Located in the Shibuya district, Yoyogi Park is one of Tokyo’s most popular green spaces. Its great popularity is mainly due to its practicality. Unlike many other parks in the Japanese capital, which focus primarily on Japanese garden art, Yoyogi Park is a very functional green space with its large lawns and many sports facilities. No wonder it is one of the favorite hangouts of joggers, soccer players, field hockey players, martial artists, punk rockers and cosplayers.

The history and grounds of Yoyogi Park

Hardly any other park in Tokyo has such an eventful history as Yoyogi Park. The grounds of the park once belonged to families of the Japanese sword nobility. After the Meiji Restoration, it fell to the state, which used it as a training ground for the military. The northeast section was used for the construction of the Meiji Shrine. Between the Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park is the so-called “Old Garden,” which is now open to the public.

After World War II, residential quarters for American occupation troops were built on the edge of the current park. Afterwards, the area was used for the 1964 Olympic Games until it finally became a public park. Newly created at that time, the park features a variety of tree species that have since grown to over 30 meters. Some of the trees were also donated by countries participating in the Olympic Games at that time.

There are several monuments in the park. One commemorates the first powered flight in Japan, which took place on the park grounds in 1910. Other memorials commemorate the Olympic Games, the 1915 ceremony for the Meiji-Tennō’s wife, Shōken-kōtaigō, who died the year before, and the 14 members of a right-wing group who committed seppuku (ritual suicide) together at the surrender in 1945.

The attractions in Yoyogi Park

Because of its convenient location, expansive lawns and lush selection of sports facilities, Yoyogi Park enjoys great popularity among Tokyoites. While many parks in the Japanese capital focus more on the aesthetics of the landscape, Yoyogi Park scores more for its functionality. Especially on weekends, soccer and field hockey players, members of martial arts clubs, punk rockers, cosplayers and many other sports, music and other hobby groups gather in the park to pursue their favorite pastimes.

A walk through Yoyogi Park can also be perfectly combined with a visit to the neighboring Meiji Shrine. In addition, it is only a stone’s throw from the park to the two shopping streets Omotesandō and Takeshita Street, where especially fashion-conscious people get their money’s worth.