Flowers at Toneri Park and Golden Week Trip

“Every once in a while, it might be nice to escape the crowded, narrow city streets in Tokyo and see some flowers.” From this thought, I began planning a trip to see the nemophila flowers that bloom for a limited time in April in Tokyo. It was a learning experience for me, and I still enjoyed the Toneri Park during Golden Week despite missing the bloom of the blue nemophila flowers and the illumination event itself. 

In this blog, I will offer some basic suggestions for planning your time at Toneri Park to increase your chances of having a full experience of the Flower and Light Movement event, held yearly for the last four years by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. 

The event is regularly held in April, and can end before the month’s end. Toneri Park is the third-largest open park in Tokyo. Admission is free, but local travel there via the subway and Nippori-Toneri Liner can cost around 1,400 yen round-trip. Parking will cost. If you are interested in this festival, please check out the official website.

The park is divided into quadrants by the nearby street and train station; it is spread out. During the event there should hopefully be clear signage written in English and Japanese, but when I went there in May 2026 there were no signs left. It would be good to take note that there are particular areas where the nemophila flowers are grown that may not be immediately visible when entering the park. The illumination runs at night. If in doubt, be sure to check the event website for the current year’s map.

The park design makes the space feel open and modern, with separate spaces designated for different activities. 

During the spring, the park is a gorgeously maintained, clean space. Maybe it’s just me, but the analog clock representation of time feels nostalgic. There are no trash cans. They ask that you bring your trash home with you and pick up after yourself, as in many places in Tokyo.

While I didn’t see any nemophila flowers, there was still a very well-maintained flower garden near the parking lot, tennis courts, and track field. I felt the atmosphere during Golden Week was much lighter and more inviting.

There was a wide variety of beautiful flowers in the garden that drew the attention of many passersby and photographers. 

Being able to photograph the flowers during the afternoon makes for a different experience. Even without the special nemophila-themed event with food items and nighttime illumination, going to this park offered a big contrast to downtown Tokyo. People were hanging out and having a good time, without actively checking their watches for the time.

It was one of the most casual and pressure-free environments I’ve encountered without feeling overshadowed by Tokyo’s history or the changing landscape. I would definitely recommend considering an excursion to Toneri Park as an option if you ever feel overwhelmed by the crowds in Tokyo. There are also other parks in Tokyo, so I suggest checking those out too.

“Flowers and Light Movement” FY2026 Schedule

The “Flowers and Light Movement” for fiscal year 2026 is scheduled to take place as follows:

Toneri Park	April 10 (Fri) – April 26 (Sun), 2026
Kasai Rinkai Park	July 31 (Fri) – August 16 (Sun), 2026
Koganei Park	October 23 (Fri) – November 8 (Sun), 2026
Hibiya Park	November 13 (Fri) – November 29 (Sun), 2026
Sayama Park	November 14 (Sat), 15 (Sun), and November 21 (Sat) – 23 (Mon, public holiday), 2026
Kiba Park	February 26 (Fri) – March 7 (Sun), 2027

Access

Toneri Park: Toneri Park, Nishi-Iko-cho, Toneri-cho, Iriya-cho,Kochiya 1-chome & 2-chome, Saranuma 3-chome, Nishi-Iko 1-chome, 2-chome & 3-chome, Adachi Ward

Opening days / Open all year round

The service center and all facilities will be closed during the New Year holidays.Please contact the service center for opening hours and other information.Admission fee: Free (some facilities require a fee)

Train

Get off at Toneri-koen Station on the Nippori-Toneri Liner and walk for 1 minute.The journey from Nippori to Toneri-koen takes 16 minutes on the Nippori-Toneri Liner.

Bus

From the west exit of Takenotsuka Station on the Tobu Skytree Line, take a Tobu Bus (Iriya Loop or Iriya-Toneri Loop) and get off at Naka-Iriya bus stop.It's a 1-minute walk from there.

Parking (paid, 24 hours)

Please use public transportation as Okubashi Street and Toneri Park Street become congested on weekends, holidays, and during events.Also, please cooperate in staggering your departure from the parking lot, such as leaving early, as congestion may occur.*Please refrain from waiting on public roads to enter the Toneri Park parking lot. Please note that entry restrictions may be implemented depending on the congestion.

Toneri Park Official Website

Note

• The parking lot gets very crowded on weekends, and you may have to wait for a long time. Please use public transportation.

• Please take your trash home with you.

• Events and some services may be canceled, suspended, or modified due to weather-related disasters, power supply shortages, or other unforeseen circumstances.

• Please check the latest information on our official website and official social media (X, Instagram) before visiting the park.

• We use environmentally friendly lighting for our illuminations.

• This event will be held with energy conservation in mind, prioritizing everyone's safety. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation regarding HTT's efforts to "reduce," "generate," and "store" electricity.

Organizer

• Presented by: Tokyo Metropolitan Government

• Cooperation: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association