On Greenery Day, May 4, Tokyo opened Ueno Zoo, Rikugien and other top gardens free of charge, welcoming families across the city into nature.
What happened
Japan’s Greenery Day on May 4 is rooted in the late Emperor Hirohito’s lifelong love of botany and nature.
Tokyo opened Ueno Zoo, the Rikugien Garden and the Koshikawa Korakuen Garden free of charge to all visitors.
Parks and botanical gardens across Japan held special events throughout the day.
Late April and early May bring Japan’s most vivid spring greenery, with fresh foliage replacing the cherry blossoms that peak a few weeks earlier.
Why it is good news
A national holiday dedicated to nature, celebrated by opening green spaces freely to everyone, is a quietly powerful statement about what a society chooses to value.
Source: Rakuten Travel