Tokyo Car Spotters Flock to Jingu Gaien for Two Weeks a Year
Where is a great car spotting place in Tokyo? There are many. Daikoku Parking Area is a favorite of many. Mine is Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue. This place comes with a caveat, though. It is shootable for a short time per year. Why?
That’s right. When the ginkgo trees turn yellow, everyone goes to see them. Jingu Gaien is one of the most popular spots in Tokyo to enjoy a day out. It is the place to be seen. The rich and famous bring their expensive and rare cars to show off.
What is Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue?
Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue is about 300 meters long. In autumn, it is one of Tokyo’s most popular places. Why in that season? The tree’s yellow leaves are spectacular on a sunny day.
146 ginkgo trees, about 9 meters apart, line the avenue. In autumn, walking under them is like walking through a yellow-roofed tunnel. It is beautiful.
People go there for many reasons. Some go for dates. Others go to enjoy time out with their families. Photographers love it. Regardless, it is the place to go to be seen.
Why is Jingu Gaien a great car spotting place?
- The Ginkgo tree’s yellow leaves are the perfect background in autumn.
- It is the place to be seen. In autumn, every fashionable Tokyoite is there.
- Driving is most enjoyed in beautiful and fun places. Jingu Gaien is that.
A showcase: The cars of Jingu Gaien
Many incredible vehicles go there. To give you an idea, here is a partial list of what I saw in just one visit in November 2023:
- Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
- Alfa Romeo Giulietta coupe
- Alfa Romeo Gran Sport Quattroruote coupe
- Alvis TD 21 sports saloon
- Bandini 720 coupe
- Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic Spider convertible
- Chevrolet Coupe
- Fiat Arbath 850
- Heinkel Kabine
- Jaguar XK120 open 2-seater
- Maserati Indy
- Messerschmitt KR200
- MG MGB sports car
- Porsche 356 convertible
- Porsche 911 Targa
- Riley Sprite sports car
An essential tool for identifying rare cars
Stumbling upon a car you can’t identify, like the rare Riley Sprite I saw, is part of the thrill. In the past, you’d have to hope an expert was nearby. Today, you have an expert in your pocket: Google Lens.
This powerful image recognition tool, built into most smartphones, can identify a vehicle from a single photo. Simply snap a picture, use the Lens feature, and it will scan the internet for visual matches, often giving you the make, model, and year in seconds. It is an indispensable tool for settling debates and expanding your automotive knowledge on the spot.
Car photography tip for Jingu Gaien
Try shooting in the middle of the day when the sun is high in the sky. Why? Because of the trees’ height, shadows appear on the road in the morning and afternoon. The cars won’t be at their best. Photograph them when you have lots of light.
Conclusion
Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue is a great car spotting place in Tokyo. So many cool vehicles go there. They sit by the side of the ride and are being driven. With the trees in the background, your photos should look great.
The only thing to remember is that it happens in autumn. That means you only have a couple of weeks. And the cars will be there mainly on weekends. Keep that in mind! Anyway, good luck getting some cool shots.
Photo gear for this article
- Camera Body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lenses: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR and XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
Date of Photos: 24 November 2023
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5 these days. The project will take more than one lifetime to complete.
