Key Takeaways: Mejiro Garden in Toshima, Tokyo opens after dark from November 21 to December 6, 2026, lighting its maples, pond and Sekichoan teahouse from 17:30 to 21:00. Adult admission is ¥500, and weekday evenings need no booking. From December 1, the teahouse gets projection mapping for the first time, alongside handmade lanterns, local food stalls and teahouse events.
Toshima, Tokyo · Nov 21 – Dec 6, 2026
Mejiro Garden Autumn Light-Up TERASU2026
Maples, pond reflections and lanterns after dark, a short walk from JR Mejiro Station.
¥500Adult admission, 17:30–21:00 (last entry 20:30)
Information as of , based on the press release from the garden’s managers. Check the official site before you go.
Mejiro Garden (豊島区立目白庭園) is a Japanese stroll garden built around a pond, tucked into a quiet part of Toshima City. By day you can walk in for free. For a few weeks each autumn it reopens after dark for a paid light-up called TERASU2026 (てらす), when the maples turn red and yellow and, on calm nights, their reflections sit on the water. Below: what it costs, which nights need a booking, what is new this year, and the food and teahouse events worth planning around.
Contents
TERASU2026 at a glance
| Event | Autumn Garden Light-Up TERASU2026 (秋の庭園ライトアップ『TERASU2026』) |
|---|---|
| Dates | Saturday, November 21 to Sunday, December 6, 2026 |
| Hours | 17:30–21:00 (last entry 20:30) |
| Admission | Adults ¥500 / elementary school students ¥300 / preschool children free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Reservations | Needed for early time slots on weekends and the holiday (see the next section). Weekdays: no reservation. |
| Venue | Mejiro Garden, Toshima City |
| Address | 3-20-18 Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo (東京都豊島区目白3-20-18) |
| Access | 5 min on foot from JR Mejiro Station, 15 min from JR Ikebukuro Station. No parking. |
| Organizer | Mejiro Garden Park Management Consortium (目白庭園パークマネジメント共同事業体), the garden’s designated manager. Lead company: Ohdako Co., Ltd. (株式会社大凧) |
| Contact | Mejiro Garden management office, TEL 03-5996-4810 |
Tickets and which nights need a booking
The fee is the same every night: ¥500 for adults, ¥300 for elementary school students, free for preschoolers. What changes is whether you need to book. On weekends and the November 23 holiday, the first part of the evening is reservation-only, and same-day tickets start later. Weekday evenings need no booking at all.
| Dates | Reservation required | Same-day tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 21 (Sat), 22 (Sun), 23 (Mon, holiday), 28 (Sat), 29 (Sun) | Entry 17:30–19:00 | From 19:30 |
| Dec 5 (Sat), 6 (Sun) | Entry 17:30–18:00 | From 18:30 |
| All other weekdays | Not needed | — |
Bookings are made on teket, the ticketing site the garden uses: TERASU2026 tickets on teket. Some of the events during the light-up also need an advance application, and those fill up separately (see the teahouse section).
What to see this year
The light-up was relaunched last year under the TERASU name. In Japanese, terasu means to shine a light on, and it also sounds like terrace. The idea is to light up the trees, light up the people active in the neighborhood, and treat the garden as the town’s veranda, a place to sit and catch your breath.
This year’s theme is a long autumn night tied together by maple leaves and magic-lantern light (紅葉と幻灯がつなぐ秋の夜長). Rather than flooding the whole garden with light, the lighting leaves pockets of darkness so the scenery itself stands out:
- Layers of colored leaves and the shape of the branches
- The pond acting as a mirror, plus the stone arrangements
- The shadows and outline of the Sekichoan teahouse (赤鳥庵)
New from December 1: projection mapping on the Sekichoan teahouse. It is the first time the autumn light-up has included projection mapping.
You will also see handmade lanterns. Students at the nearby Soen Childcare College (草苑保育専門学校) made lanterns in an art class, each one expressing something found in Mejiro Garden. Another set was made together with the kindergarten children at the school to welcome visitors. Look for them at the Nagayamon gate (長屋門).
Food and drink stalls
Local food businesses from Toshima City set up on selected days, and the garden serves its own matcha and Japanese sweets, so you can eat and drink while you walk under the leaves.
| Date | Vendor | What they serve |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 22 (Sun) | passsand | Coffee and other drinks, churros and more |
| Nov 27 (Fri), 28 (Sat), 29 (Sun) | Cacao Kobo Tribute (カカオ工房トリビュート) | Chocolate bars, orangettes and more |
| Nov 28 (Sat) | Tsunagaru Marché (つながるマルシェ) | Market |
| Dec 5 (Sat), 6 (Sun) | nico letter | Coffee and more |
Weekday vendors and any late additions will be announced on the garden’s official Instagram and website.
Teahouse events at Sekichoan
The Sekichoan teahouse looks straight out onto the lit-up garden, and it hosts concerts, tea service, yoga and coffee events during the light-up. The rooms have tatami floors, so you cannot go in barefoot. Bring or wear socks.
Unless noted as same-day, events are booked on teket. Applications opened in stages from October 17 and close once each event is full. Where it says admission separate, the light-up entry fee is charged on top of the event fee.
| Date | Event | Time | Fee | Places / booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20 (Fri) | Pre-opening photographer day. Tripods allowed on this day only. | 17:30–21:00 | ¥1,000 (admission included) | 100 / teket |
| Nov 21 (Sat) | Coffee and sound evening (秋を楽しむ珈琲と音と): an original garden blend from nico letter and a live ambient set built from the garden’s own sounds. Music: Wataru Ashida | 18:00–20:00 | ¥4,000 (admission separate) | 40 / teket |
| Nov 22 (Sun) | Marimba concert for children, from age 0 | 11:00–12:00 | Junior high and older ¥2,000 / elementary ¥1,000 / preschool ¥500 | 70 / teket |
| Nov 22 (Sun) | Evening percussion concert, classic pieces on marimba (ages 18 and up) | 17:00–18:00 | ¥4,000 (admission separate) | 50 / teket |
| Nov 23 (Mon, holiday), Dec 6 (Sun) | Tea service (呈茶): a bowl of matcha served to you, no experience needed | ① 13:00–17:00 (last order 16:30) ② 17:30–20:00 (last order 19:30) | ¥1,500 (admission separate for ②) | 50 per session, first come / same day |
| Nov 28 (Sat) | Gypsy guitar recital blending traditional Japanese music with gypsy music. Performer: 若柳吉三郎 | 17:00–18:00 | ¥2,000 (admission separate) | 50 / teket |
| Nov 29 (Sun) | Japanese Garden Yoga in the teahouse. Instructor: 大石桃子 (English available) | 18:30–20:00 | ¥4,000 (matcha drink included, admission separate) | 12 / teket |
| Dec 5 (Sat) | Beginner hand-drip coffee workshop: basics, demo, hands-on brewing and a tasting. Instructor: 村上健一郎 (FLOW COFFEE ROASTERY) | Part 1 13:00–14:30 Part 2 15:00–16:30 | ¥3,000 (admission separate) | 6 per session / teket |
| Dec 4 (Fri), 5 (Sat), 6 (Sun) | Craft Day: make a lantern to carry on your night walk | 13:30–17:00 | From ¥1,000 | Until materials run out / same day |
Both marimba concerts on November 22 feature 神戸光徳, 髙藤摩紀, 境祥子 and 山田祐将. If you prefer English, the November 29 yoga session is the one to book, as the instructor teaches in English.
Free daytime visits and getting there
Only the light-up hours are paid. During regular opening hours, 9:00 to 17:00, Mejiro Garden is free to enter, and the autumn colors are just as worth seeing in daylight. Under the regular schedule the garden is closed on the second and fourth Mondays.
- By train: 5 minutes on foot from JR Mejiro Station, 15 minutes from JR Ikebukuro Station
- By car: there is no parking
- By bike: the bicycle parking closes during light-up hours
Tips for a smoother visit
- Go on a weekday if you can. No booking is needed on weekday evenings. December 1 to 4 (Tuesday to Friday) are weekdays that already have the new projection mapping.
- No reservation on a weekend? Aim for the same-day ticket window: from 19:30 in November, from 18:30 on December 5 and 6. Last entry is 20:30.
- Check the leaves by day first. Daytime entry is free, so a quick look before the light-up costs nothing.
- Leave the tripod at home unless you have a place on the November 20 photographer day.
- Pack socks if you plan to join anything in the Sekichoan teahouse.
- Night photos drain batteries. If you have a d ACCOUNT, d VALUE PASS covers ChargeSPOT power bank rentals, which is handy for a long evening out.
Planning more outings around Tokyo? We have also covered the Musashino Art University Festival and the Shibaura Canal Festival with its free canal cruises, and if you book leisure spots online, the Asoview discount campaign is worth a look.
FAQ
- How much does the TERASU2026 light-up cost?
- Admission is ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for elementary school students, and preschool children enter free. Children of elementary school age and younger should come with a guardian.
- Do I need to book in advance?
- On November 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29, entry between 17:30 and 19:00 must be booked on teket, and same-day tickets are available from 19:30. On December 5 and 6, entry between 17:30 and 18:00 must be booked, and same-day tickets are available from 18:30. On other weekdays no reservation is needed.
- Can I see the autumn leaves for free?
- Yes. During regular opening hours, 9:00 to 17:00, admission to Mejiro Garden is free. The garden is normally closed on the second and fourth Mondays. Only the light-up hours are charged.
- When does the projection mapping start?
- Projection mapping on the Sekichoan teahouse starts on December 1. It is the first time the autumn light-up has included projection mapping.
- Is there parking near Mejiro Garden?
- No. There is no parking, and the bicycle parking closes during light-up hours. The garden is a 5-minute walk from JR Mejiro Station and a 15-minute walk from JR Ikebukuro Station.
- Can I use a tripod?
- Tripods are normally not allowed. They are permitted only on the pre-opening photographer day on November 20, from 17:30 to 21:00, which costs ¥1,000 including admission and is limited to 100 people booked on teket.
Official sources
- Mejiro Garden official site: TERASU2026 event page (Japanese)
- Tickets and event booking on teket
- Mejiro Garden official Instagram
- Press release from Ohdako Co., Ltd. (Japanese)
Details may change. For the latest information, check the official site or call the garden office at 03-5996-4810.