YOYOGI PARK

Yoyogi Park (代々木公園 Yoyogi kōen) is one of the largest parks in Tokyo. Yoyogi Park located adjacent to Harajuku Station and Meiji Shrine in Shibuya.

Yoyogi Park is a popular and one of the few large open spaces in Tokyo. Yoyogi Park isn't a manicured Japanese garden, but more a place for people to walk their dog (the only off leach place I saw in Tokyo even though this was separately fenced), picnic, ride a bike, practice martial arts or throw a ball. On Sundays around the outer perimeter of the park bands and individuals play music. The band often have generators and amplifiers so it can turn into a battle of bands.

Yoyogi Park is divided into two sections by the main road with other part of the park containing Yoyogi National Gymnasium and an open theatre where community groups hold festivals and concerts.

What is now Yoyogi Park was the site of the first successful powered aircraft flight in Japan, on December 19, 1910, by Captain Yoshitoshi Tokugawa, following which it became an army parade ground. During the postwar occupation, it was the site of the Washington Heights residence for U.S. officers.

Recently Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara has announced his plans to to build a 100,000-capacity stadium in Yoyogi Park in order to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.