Tokyo's autumn colours

Tokyo, a city perhaps best known for it’s glitzy high-rise urban sprawl has some amazingly beautiful parks to enjoy not only the spring cherry blossom season but also the turning leaf colours of Autumn. I was lucky enough to be there in the 2nd week of December, still well into the autumn colour season. It helped that the weather was great considering it’s early winter, crisp and chilly early and late, sunny skies and mid-teen temperatures by day, with calm winds perfect for strolling through the immaculately kept parks. One of the best parks is the Meiji Jingu park which has an avenue of ginkgo trees leading up to the Meiji shrine. The trees are full of buttercup-yellow leaves forming a stunning contrast against the blue sky. There’s several others too worth visiting like Hibiya Park, which has an open air stage where music events can be found, and also the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Yoyogi Park in Shibuya, right in the heart of the city, is also known as a colourful autumn foliage location. Japan is a country of surprises round every corner, and it was certainly that to see how nature’s annual show of autumn colours is so well preserved and cared for in all it’s glory.