Happo-en (八芳園), the long-established wedding and event venue in Shirokanedai, is bringing back its autumn light-up. TOKYO RED GARDEN 2026 runs every evening from Friday, November 27 to Sunday, December 6, 2026, and walking the illuminated garden costs nothing. This is the 8th edition, the first in two years since the last edition, and the first since the main building reopened after its renovation in October 2025.
Below you will find the hours, what the garden looks like at night, the weather rules, and the optional special dinner course served at the restaurant inside the main building.
TOKYO RED GARDEN 2026 at a glance
| Event | TOKYO RED GARDEN 2026 (Garden Light Up) |
|---|---|
| Dates | Fri, Nov 27 – Sun, Dec 6, 2026 Held every day |
| Hours | Sunset to 9:00 pm |
| Admission | Free |
| Venue | Happo-en Japanese garden |
| Address | Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo (see the official site for directions) |
| Organizer | Happo-en Co., Ltd. (株式会社八芳園) |
| Theme | Aki, Tsumugu (roughly, weaving autumn) |
| Official site | TOKYO RED GARDEN 2026 special site |
Looking for more free things to do in Tokyo this season? We also wrote up the Shibaura Canal Festival with its free canal cruises and the Musashino Art University Festival.
What the garden looks like at night
Happo-en sits on grounds of roughly 10,000 tsubo, and its Japanese garden has more than 400 years of history behind it. For this event, about 60 lights cover the whole garden: around 160 trees that change color in autumn, including Japanese maples and ginkgo, plus the pond surface and the path that leads from the main gate into the garden.
The lighting is designed as a gradient that shifts from orange to red, so the garden at night reads like autumn leaves deepening in color over a single evening. Two extra touches this year:
- Mist around the pond that softens and spreads the light.
- An event-only noren curtain hung at the wooden entrance gate. Depending on how the main building is being used, it may not be on display.
The organizers describe this edition as the first time the renovated main building and the centuries-old garden are seen together under the red lights, which is where the theme Aki, Tsumugu comes from.
The RED GARDEN special dinner course at FUDO
The light-up itself is free. If you want to make a proper night of it, ALL DAY DINING FUDO, the restaurant inside the main building, serves a RED GARDEN special course only during the event. The course follows the changing of the leaves from the first plate to dessert, in how each dish looks, tastes and smells.
| Period | Fri, Nov 27 – Sun, Dec 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Where | ALL DAY DINING FUDO (main building) |
| Hours | Dinner 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm Last entry 7:00 pm |
| Price | ¥8,800 (tax included, service charge not included) |
| Course | Dish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Appetizer | Salt-crust baked beets with tiède of squid | Salt-crust baking, a technique handed down in Happo-en wedding cuisine |
| Soup | Butternut squash potage | With cured ham and grissini |
| Fish | Okitsu-age fried white tilefish with suji-aonori from the Yoshino River | Served in a dashi-based sauce |
| Meat | Yonezawa beef round with wild Nagano mushrooms à la crème | Mushroom types vary with daily supply |
| Dessert | Persimmon and kinmokusei (osmanthus), the scent of autumn | Osmanthus picked in the Happo-en garden |
| Also | Bread, coffee or tea | – |
Appetizer: salt-crust baked beets and squid
Baking the beets inside a salt crust locks in their moisture and gentle sweetness. They are paired with lightly cooked squid, anchovy, pistachio and herbs.
Soup: butternut squash potage
A sweet squash potage with cured ham for a salty accent. Break the grissini into small pieces and drop them in whenever you like for a change in texture.
Fish, meat and dessert
The white tilefish is fried with its scales standing up (okitsu-age) and served in a dashi sauce with suji-aonori seaweed from the Yoshino River in Tokushima. The main is roasted Yonezawa beef round from Yamagata, with wild Nagano mushrooms cooked in cream, Madeira sauce, burdock chips and watercress. The mushrooms change with what comes in that day, such as kotake or tamagotake. Dessert uses osmanthus from the Happo-en garden in a mousse and jelly, with persimmon both stewed and fresh, and a leaf-shaped mousse that echoes the autumn colors.
Paying by card? Our guide to credit cards in Japan for foreigners explains which card to get first so that dinners like this one earn points.
Weather, closed areas and autumn colors
- Severe weather: in thunder, strong wind, heavy rain and similar conditions, the light-up may be canceled or entry may be limited. Garden walks can also be paused or ended if the weather turns suddenly.
- Cancellation notices are posted on the official Happo-en X account.
- Some areas may be closed on the day depending on banquets being held at the venue.
- Leaf color varies with timing. Happo-en shares updates on the foliage through its official social media.
For directions to the venue and any updates, check the TOKYO RED GARDEN 2026 special site or the Happo-en official website before you go.
Tips for planning your evening
- Arrive after sunset. The lights only come on from sunset, and the garden walk ends at 9 pm.
- Plan to start dinner early in the evening. Last entry at FUDO is 7 pm, and both the dinner and the light-up end at 9 pm, so leave yourself time to walk the garden before or after eating.
- Check the weather and Happo-en on X on rainy or windy days before heading out.
- Want to keep the outing cheap? Walking the garden is free on its own; the dinner course is entirely optional.
If you enjoy seasonal evening events, our Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks guide covers viewing spots and getting home, and the Asoview campaign has discounts on other leisure spots.
FAQ
- Is TOKYO RED GARDEN 2026 free to enter?
- Yes. Admission to the Garden Light Up is free. The special dinner course at ALL DAY DINING FUDO is a separate paid option at 8,800 yen (tax included, service charge not included).
- What time does the light-up run?
- Every day from sunset until 9 pm, from Friday, November 27 to Sunday, December 6, 2026.
- Will it go ahead in bad weather?
- In thunder, strong wind, heavy rain or similar weather, Happo-en may cancel the light-up or limit entry, and may pause or end garden walks if the weather changes suddenly. Cancellations are announced on the official Happo-en X account.
- How do I book the dinner course?
- The RED GARDEN special course is booked through the ALL DAY DINING FUDO page on TableCheck. Dinner runs from 5 pm to 9 pm, with last entry at 7 pm.
- Will the leaves be at their peak?
- Leaf color depends on timing. Happo-en posts foliage updates on its official social media during the event.