Urban Outdoors in Tokyo

Institute for Nature Study

Tokyo is about as urban as it gets, but you can still pretend you’re out in the countryside. One of the most accessible places to experience lush greenery and trails is the Institute for Nature Study between Meguro Station and Shirokanedai Station. The 20 hectare nature park has been left untouched since 1949 (though some trees are much older), and is home to over 2,000 varieties of insects, fish, mammals, and birds. Once inside, you’ll forget you’re actually in the middle of the world’s largest metropolis.

Institute for Nature Study

Institute for Nature Study National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo

4.0

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Tokyo Minato-ku Shirokanedai 5-21-5

0334417176

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http://www.ins.kahaku.go.jp/english/index.php

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The Sanctus Ebisu

3-38-7 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Jidayubori Minka-en

If you prefer something more rural, pay a visit to Jidayubori Minka-en, a compound of traditional farmhouses in Setagaya Ward, near Seijo Gakuen-mae Station. The houses date back to the late Edo Period (1860s) and the place is a goldmine for anyone interested in the history and life of old Japan. The staff are enthusiastic; one woman even offered us her homemade sweets.

Jitayubori Park

Tokyo Setagaya-ku Kitami 5-27-14

0334178492

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Relaxing on the Riverside

While you’re in this part of the city you can visit the open fields on the banks of the Tama River. This is one of the biggest green spaces in the city and is rarely crowded. The stretch between Izumi-Tamagawa Station and Futako-Tamagawa Station is a nice walk, and you can watch local anglers fishing.

Tamagawa River Bed

Tokyo Setagaya-ku Tamagawa 1-chome

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Ichigaya Fishing Center

You don’t have to leave central Tokyo to go fishing. Near Ichigaya Station sits the decades old Ichigaya Fishing Center on what used to be an outer moat of Edo Castle. For a small hourly fee you can try your luck at catching rather large koi fish, though it’s purely catch and release.

Shi ke Tani Fish Ctr ichigaya Honten

3.5

19 Reviews

Tokyo Shinjuku-ku Ichigayatamachi 1-1

0332601324

https://www.ichigaya-fc.com/shop_guide_e_f.html

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If you want to eat what you catch, you can head indoors to Zauo, a chain of seafood restaurants with an indoor fishing pond. You’ll get a fishing rod and bait to catch your own dinner, and the restaurant will turn it into sashimi, sushi, or fry it depending on your preference. Expect to pay around 5,000 yen per person depending on the type of fish.

If you’re really keen to get out and enjoy the city you can hit up all of these locations by bicycle. There are plenty of places renting out bikes all over town, and it’s a great way to see the areas between stations. Head over to rentabike.jp for a comprehensive list of rental locations and prices.

釣船茶屋 ざうお 新宿店

東京都新宿区西新宿3-2-9 新宿ワシントンホテル1F

0333436622

http://www.zauo.com/

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