日比谷 公園 (Hibiya Park)

Today we're taking a stroll in Hibiya Park! As you can probably tell from the map above, Hibiya Park is not as big as Shinjuku Gyoen which we visited before. However, there is still quite a bit to enjoy here and it's free!

Hibiya Park is in the center of Tokyo, which means it is easy to get to and there are a lot of things to do nearby. Notably, the park is closed to the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, and many stage theatres.

The park and the land it is on is actually historically significant. There isn't that much information at the park itself about its history. If you read on up before you go, you might appreciate some of the sights more.

There are a few amenities available here.
You'll find smoking areas like the one above all around Japan. In general, smoking on the street and such is banned.
There are 5 tennis courts available. These courts are available from the early morning until late in the night.
There are also 2 concert halls. Both were closed off, so I assume they are only open during events.

Throughout the park are many monuments. Some of them have information available in English, but they are mostly in Japanese.
Hibiya Park houses many structures from or inspired by foreign countries. It's kinda like a mini museum!

The Grass Field is a fenced area for children to play in. It's quite spacious with lots of places to sit. There are some playground structures for kids to play around.
One thing that is common in large playgrounds in Japan but not in my hometown is mini zip-lines. They are a lot of fun! But this area is for kids so don't be a naughty raccoon and fool around on it!

Here is the First Flower Garden. There aren't many flowers in bloom right now, but there are still some nice things to see. The garden isn't that big.
I like the Pelican Fountain but the water coming out of the mouths are kinda funny looking to me. It's so little and weak!

There are also quite a few building around the park. There are a number of places to eat in different areas.
The Hibiya Public Hall has some history behind it. We didn't end up visiting it this time though.
The Wedding Hall is very small. Behind the building is a small but pretty garden area. The whole area is fenced off.

One area we did visit is the Hibiya Library and Museum. Photography is not allowed inside the building. It's a decent size library. The museum is pretty small but free of charge. There is space for special exhibits, however there were none the day we visited. Everything is in Japanese though.
There are two cafés inside. One is part of the gift shop and the other is like a sit-down restaurant.

Our last major spot is the Kumogata-ike Pond. There is a crane fountain in the middle. I think this is my favourite spot. It's so beautiful. Just look at how the trees are reflected on the pond's surface! I would love to spend more time here.

There is a Second Flower Garden where the Large Fountain is. However we weren't able to visit it because they were still setting up the Tokyo Christmas Market.
I really want to come back next year and see the market! It looks so interesting and fun! However, judging by some videos I've seen, it gets very crowded. I suggest coming early on a weekday.