October 1 is celebrated as “Citizen’s Day” in the Tokyo Metropolitan District.  This year (2018), in honor of the day, there will be various special events dotted around the city, but more importantly for tourists and those who can spare the time, a number of Tokyo parks, gardens, and museums ordinarily closed on Mondays will be open and free of charge.  (Note: those normally closed on Mondays will be closed on Tuesday, October 2, instead.)

• Hamarikyu Gardens
• Kyu-Shibarikyu Gardens
• Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
• Rikugien Gardens
• Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens
• Mukojima Hyakka-en Gardens
• Kiyosumi Gardens
• Kyu-Furukawa Gardens
• Tomogayato Gardens
• Jindai Botanical Park
• Tama Zoological Park
• Ueno Zoological Gardens
• Tokyo Sea Life Park
• Inokashira Park Zoo
• Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome (special events and entertainment at various times from 10 am to 3 pm)
• Port of Tokyo Wild Bird Park
• Edo-Tokyo Museum
• Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum
• Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (note: due to exhibit changes, only the garden will be open for visitors)
• Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography
• Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

The above links are to the official English language websites of these various facilities.  I have also written about a number of these, most often putting them in the context of their neighborhoods, but sometimes just focusing on the particular location.  Try the “search” function for this site, or scroll through “travel articles” to find those pieces.

The Tokyo Metropolitan District offers so many wonderful facilities, many preserving historically-significant sites.  The zoos, botanical gardens and museums are also excellent. Why not take advantage of this special opportunity to enjoy a few you might not otherwise visit?

© 2018 Jigsaw-japan.com and Vicki L. Beyer
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