Tokyo Mitaka Inokashira Park “Inokashira Park”

December 25, 2023 784 Views

On the third day of our Tokyo trip, we had a reservation to visit the “Ghibli Museum” in Mitaka in the afternoon. Thanks to prior research before the trip, we were able to smoothly make a reservation for the Ghibli Museum, and we decided to visit at 2 p.m.

The Ghibli Museum is located somewhat away from the heart of Tokyo. Our group departed from Akihabara and took the train. By transferring to an express train at Ochanomizu Station, we could reach Mitaka Station or Kichijoji Station, where the Ghibli Museum is located, without any additional transfers.

“Two stations near the Ghibli Museum: Mitaka Station and Kichijoji Station”

There are two nearby stations to reach the Ghibli Museum. One is Mitaka Station, and the other is Kichijoji Station. If you start from Tokyo, you can transfer to Mitaka Station after Kichijoji Station, but eager to get off one station earlier, we decided to disembark at Kichijoji Station and proceed from there.

Kichijoji Station is also quite well-known among Tokyo residents. It has large stores like department stores at its center, forming a bustling commercial area. Surrounded by residential areas and parks, it is considered a desirable place to live in Tokyo.

“Inokashira Park, a lakeside park you can encounter on the way to the Ghibli. Museum”

Walking in the direction of the Ghibli Museum from Kichijoji Station, you will come across a park in the middle called “Inokashira Park.” It serves as a harmonious place with nature in the midst of the city, providing a resting place for urban dwellers. With a lake in the middle of the park, it is also a healing spot.

It had been raining since we departed from the center of Tokyo, and the rain continued when we arrived in Mitaka. Fortunately, it wasn’t heavy rain, so we could take a leisurely stroll in the park while getting a bit wet.

In Inokashira Park, you can also find a lake. It is not very large, but it has a modest charm. While walking in Inokashira Park, I suddenly thought of “Ilsan,” a place near Seoul. Ilsan is also well-known for its high happiness index and the presence of a large lake park in the middle of the city.

Considering the approximately one-hour distance from the center of Tokyo and the similar atmosphere pervading the entire city, I felt a resemblance between Tokyo and Ilsan.

“Slowly exploring the park on the way to the Ghibli Museum…”

There was a specific reason for being able to leisurely explore the park. We had left early with the thought that we shouldn’t be late, considering the reserved time for the Ghibli Museum, and fortunately, we arrived with more time to spare than our reserved time. Thanks to that, we could calmly stroll through the park and then proceed to the Ghibli Museum without any rush.

“The landscape of the park after the rain has stopped”

After finishing the visit to the Ghibli Museum, the rain had stopped. After looking around the museum, on the way back, we once again passed. through the park to return to Kichijoji. It was a brief moment of relaxation in. nature amidst a busy trip.

Choosing Kichijoji over Mitaka and crossing the park to reach the Ghibli Museum seemed like a good decision.

“Japan Tokyo, Mitaka, Inokashira Park”