Colours of Minato 港区
Minato City is often an overlooked area of Tokyo. The main attraction is of course the Tokyo Tower, but not many people take the time to wander to the nearby parks and as such they miss out on some fantastic views.
Autumn is already (in my honest opinion) the best season for visiting Tokyo. The colours are magnificent, but this is amplified once you step down into Maple Valley. The trees above fill your eyes with vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. The tiny waterfall shrouded in green adds to the tranquility of this area and if you were to look up, you would see the top of the Tokyo Tower bordered by beautiful maple leaves. It's a fantastic view. There are some park benches nearby that also maintain those views.
Across the road you can find Shibakoen. This place has some delightful golden yellow trees that compliment the Red and white of the tower. If you can find your way behind the Prince Park Tower, you will discover an open area that give you one of the best surrounding skylines with Tokyo Tower as the centrepiece.
One final recommendation is the follow the path from the Prince Shiba Park area, away from the Tower and down to the Former Daitokuin Reibyo Somon Gate. This historical Japanese structure allows you can walk through and make your way left towards Zojo-ji Temple.
At the time of writing, some preservation work has been taking place, but it should be clear of scaffold and easy to access. Dating back to the 1600's, the Buddhist compound of Jōdo-shū has one of the most impressive back drops. If you don't have one already, make sure you bring ¥2,000 for one of the best Goshuin books I've discovered so far. If your timing is right, you will get to see a monk ding the giant bell near the most impressive main entrance gate.
Although the temple itself is a stunner alone, with Tokyo Tower rising high in the background it only reinforces the need to explore Minato-ku and marvel at it's impressive vistas. In the evening both the temple and tower are lit up which means you can visit at anytime for great photo opportunities.
If you wish to see a slice of what Minato has to offer, be sure to check out my video!
Recommendations
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Accommodation 🏨 ⭃ Booking your stay in Minato City means you have access to some of the most iconic landmarks in Tokyo like Tokyo Tower and The Imperial Palace grounds.
Travel 🚇 ⭃ Travelling to Minato is very simple. You can take the Toei Oedo Line (Akabanebashi Station) or the Mita Line (Onarimon & Shibakoen Stations) to bring you adjacent to above areas.
Must Visit 🗼⭃ Maple Valley, Tokyo Tower, Shibakoen, Daitokuin Reibyo Somon Gate, Zojo-ji Temple & Jōdo-shū.
eSim 📲 ⭃ Using data abroad is easy and essential especially with maps. My choice is Airalo. It’s my go-to when travelling to multiple continents and can be installed before you even leave your house.
Travel Insurance 🌐 ⭃ SafetyWing provide the best price & cover for travel across multiple countries. Recommended for all travellers by travellers!