Brilliant sunset at Hama Rikyu Gardens

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.