Surviving Tokyo as a nature lover

皆さん、こんにちは！三年生のエイミーです。日本に来る前に、東京に住むのは忙しくて、近代的な生活ですもうよく知っていましたが、パンデミックのせいで2年田舎に住んでいたため、都会生活はカルチャーショックになりました。東京に住むのは楽しいですが、時々「自然に行きたいな〜」という気持ちがあるから、最近自然的な場所を探しました。

Going into my year abroad I was aware of how hectic Tokyo was going to be, but after spending the past 2 years of the pandemic in the countryside, city life suddenly came as a massive shock to me. Although Tokyo has been an incredibly fun place to live, I’ve found myself craving nature, and so I have spent a lot of time seeking out green spaces to relax.

Surprisingly, I’ve discovered quite a few green spaces in and around Tokyo, but for the sake of this blog I’ve compiled my top three favourite spots. I hope you go check them out when you come to Tokyo!

Enoshima

まず、江ノ島を紹介します。緑が多い場所だけじゃなく、水がある場所に行きたい場合は、江ノ島はいい選択だと思います。小さい島ですが、きれいな散歩道や庭園や洞窟があります。ビーチもきれいですが、時々混んでいます。週末は混んでいるので、もしできれば平日に行く方がいいだと思います。

First, we have Enoshima Island. If you’re not only craving a green space but also being around water, this is a great option. This small island has beautiful trails, gardens, caves and a great beach. If possible, I would recommend going on a weekday so there aren’t so many tourists, but even on a busy weekend it is still highly enjoyable.

To get there as quickly and easily as possible you can take the Odakyu Enoshima line from Shinjuku station. However, there are actually many ways to get there, such as the Shōnan-Shinjuku line or the Chuo line, which can be nice if you wish to pass through Kamakura on your way there.

江ノ島に行く時、シーフードーを食べてみてください！すごく美味しいです。

While you're there, make sure you try the seafood - it's great!

Mount Takao

次は、高尾山を紹介します。新宿駅から高尾駅まで５０分しかかかりません。東京ですが、緑はそんなに多いがありますから、びっくりしました。高尾山に登ることができますが、暑い日はケーブルカーとチェアリフトがおすすめです。そして、色んなハイキングコースがあるので、皆が楽しむことができます。

Next, we have Mount Takao. Just a short 50 minutes from Shinjuku station on the Chuo line, this is perfect for a small daytrip. You would never guess you’re still in Tokyo when you arrive at Takao station, much less once you start the hike up the mountain.

While you have the option of hiking all the way up and down the mountain, there is also the option of a funicular or, my personal favourite, a cute chairlift that takes you about halfway up the mountain. On particularly hot days, taking the chairlift can be useful, and you’re able to enjoy amazing views of Tokyo as you go up!

My only criticism of Mount Takao is the amount of shops, restaurants and man-made trails on the mountain. While it is an advantage in some ways to have many facilities while hiking, it can take away from the experience of being in nature. Luckily, they do have some “forest trails”, so if you’re like me and want to have the more authentic nature experience, I totally recommend opting for these!

Shinjuku Gyoen

最後に私の一番好きなところ、新宿御苑を紹介します。大学の時間割のおかげで、午後は毎日空いています。だから、ほぼ毎日午後新宿御苑にいって、宿題をしたり、本を読んだりします。もし誰か私と同じ上智大学を選んでいたら、上智大学から新宿御苑まで丸ノ内線で３分で行くことができます。公園に入るためにお金を払わなければなりませんが、本当に価値あると思います。

Last but not least, we have Shinjuku Gyoen. This is probably my favourite spot that I have found in Tokyo so far. Thanks to the structure of my course, I get afternoons off, which means that I spend most of my afternoons doing my homework or reading in Shinjuku Gyoen. For those of you that have chosen Sophia University like me, this park is only 2 stops away (3 minutes) on the Marunouchi line.

To enter the park, you have to pay an entry fee, but it’s very affordable and definitely worth it. As a university student, a one off entry ticket is 250 yen when you present your student card. Alternatively, you can buy a season pass for 2000 yen, which is worth it if like me you’ll be visiting multiple times a week.

東京に来る時は、この場所を楽しんでください！このブログでは述べられませんでしたが、もうたくさん緑が多い場所があります。東京はどこにでも、緑が多くて、リラックスができる場所は近くにあるでしょう。

I hope you all have fun checking these places out when you visit Tokyo! There are many more green places I couldn’t mention in this blog such as Inokashira park or Meiji Jingu, but the point I wanted to get across is that no matter how much of a concrete jungle Tokyo may seem like at times, you will always be able to find a green space nearby to relax.