I’ve always wondered about the sunset at Hama Rikyu Gardens. Would they be any good? The information on the internet said they could be brilliant. That meant I had to go in autumn. Why then? Because it is the only time of the year, you can be in the park till the sun goes down.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year in Japan. It definitely has a role in Tokyo culture. Tokyoites love to get out and enjoy the beautiful leaves. Photographers enjoy it too.

For this trip in 2021, I went early in the afternoon. I got there before two o’clock. That gave me plenty of time to photograph the park with plenty of daylight. Until sunset, I killed time by taking pictures as I pleased.
As the afternoon drew on, the temperature dropped. But visitors were still enjoying the park. I was hoping they’d go home as I didn’t want any people in my photos!

My sense of expectation grew as time passed. I thought I would see something special as the sky looked promising. In the end, I was right. My last photograph of the day was the best. It was a fiery sky over the Nakajima teahouse. Skyscrapers were behind it, and behind them was Tokyo Tower. I will remember it for a very long time.

When to go?
Mid-November to early December.

What time is best for sunset at Hama Rikyu Gardens photographs?
The park closes at 5 pm, and in autumn, sunset can be as early as 4:30ish. That gives you a window of about fifteen to twenty minutes if you do your research. Remember, you need to be outside the gates before closing. Still, you should get a fair amount of photographs in that time.

Wrapping up
I want to go back one day. Without a doubt, autumn is my favorite time of year. It would be great to get these types of pictures again. But photography is half luck as the weather plays a huge role. We’ll have to wait and see how things work out.

Please read our main article on Hama Rikyu Gardens if you have time. It is a fabulous place in Tokyo and is worth a visit. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
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