How to Visit Icho Namiki Avenue in Tokyo, Japan

I’m relatively certain that my fascination with the ginkgo tree started because I was playing a Tinkerbell video game when I was 8. Not kidding. Ginkgo leaves came up as a material in the game, and having lived in Minnesota my whole childhood, I’d never heard nor had I come across something called a “ginkgo tree” before. Normally, I don’t really pay attention to trees, but ginkgo leaves remind me of flower petals. We don’t really have many in the United States, so when I saw photos of the gorgeous, ginkgo filled Icho Namiki Avenue in Tokyo, Japan, I knew that I had to pay a visit.

If you’re thinking about visiting Icho Namiki {appropriately nicknamed “Ginkgo Avenue,” here’s a few things to consider:

THE LEAVES CHANGE IN NOVEMBER

Part of what makes Icho Namiki so iconic is the crisp, cone structure of the trees. The leaves on the Icho Namiki ginkgo treed tend to turn their signature golden color come November. During the rest of the year, the trees are a pretty green color.

THE FESTIVAL

Icho Namiki has such a reputation that there’s actually an official street festival that takes place in honor of the ginkgo trees changing color. This festival typically occurs the last two weeks of November. When I arrived in early December, the festival had just finished a couple days prior, on the 2nd. That being said, there were still plenty of golden ginkgo leaves covering the avenue!

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest station to Icho Namiki is the Gaienmae station. Gaienmae is on the Ginza Line, and a 165 yen fare when traveling from Shibuya station. The station is located just a few blocks away, and is a very short walk. Exit out of door 4a for the closest exit to the avenue.

IT’S BUSY

But honestly, what in Japan isn’t? I headed to Icho Namiki around 8am on a Friday morning, and there were already several pedestrians walking around, out and about. If you’re going there to get the perfect shot, go early as it does get progressively busier during the day.

IT’S OPEN TO VEHICLES

It’s important to note that Icho Namiki is NOT simply a pedestrian road. This is a relatively wide road that is open to car traffic, and cars will come down it frequently. Just be careful and use caution when trying to cross the street or take a photo, as the iconic centered middle of the road shots were all taken in the middle of incoming traffic.

If you’re traveling to Japan soon, be sure to check out my guide to Harajuku here, and my tips and tricks for visiting teamLab Borderless here.

xx,

E

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