# Inokashira Park

> A park built around a long spring-fed pond five minutes from Kichijoji Station, opened in 1917 as Japan's first suburban park. Free, with rowing boats, a Benzaiten shrine on the water and a small zoo across the road.

- Prefecture: Tokyo
- Type: Park
- Address: Musashino, Tokyo, Japan
- Hours note: The park is open at all times. Inokashira Park Zoo is open 9:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:00) and closed on Mondays, or the next day when Monday is a holiday.
- Official site: https://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/inokashira/

Five minutes on foot from Kichijoji Station the ground drops away to a long, narrow pond lined with cherry trees, and the city noise goes with it. Inokashira Pond is the source of the Kanda River, which runs across Tokyo to join the Sumida at Yanagibashi, and its spring water once fed the Kanda aqueduct that supplied Edo. The park opened on May 1, 1917, on land granted by the imperial household, as Japan's first suburban park. Inokashira Benzaiten, a shrine to the goddess of water and music, sits at the western end of the pond. Local lore says couples who take a boat out together will break up because Benzaiten gets jealous, which has never stopped anyone renting one. Between 2014 and 2018 the pond was drained three times to clear out invasive fish and return native species. Across Kichijoji-dori, Inokashira Park Zoo charges 400 yen and closes on Mondays. The Ghibli Museum is a neighbour too, in the wooded western part of the park, with its own advance-booked tickets. In cherry blossom season the paths around the pond are packed shoulder to shoulder, so come early in the morning.

## FAQ

### Does it cost anything to visit?

The park is free and open around the clock. You pay only for extras such as the rowing boats and Inokashira Park Zoo, which costs 400 yen for adults.

### What are the hours and fees for Inokashira Park Zoo?

9:30 to 17:00, last entry 16:00, closed on Mondays (the next day when Monday is a holiday). Admission is 400 yen for adults, 200 yen for those 65 and over and 150 yen for junior high students.

### Is the Ghibli Museum inside Inokashira Park?

Yes, in the wooded western section of the park, a walk away from the pond. It needs its own ticket, booked in advance; you cannot just walk in from the park.

### When is the best time for cherry blossoms?

Usually from late March into early April, when the trees around the pond bloom over the water. Weekends in that period are very crowded, so early morning is the calmest time.

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Source: [Inokashira Park — Japan Voyage](https://travel.japanvoyage.jp/travel_destinations/inokashira-park)
Last updated: 2026-10-11