Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue (Gaienmae) Wedding Photos | Golden Autumn Photoshoot in Tokyo
Every autumn, a straight avenue in central Tokyo turns into a tunnel of gold. The Ginkgo Avenue at Meiji Jingu Gaien is one of the city’s most famous autumn sights, and for wedding photos it offers something truly special: rows of glowing yellow trees framing the two of you, whether you wear a traditional kimono or a wedding dress.
In this guide, we cover what makes the Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue so photogenic, the best photo spots and poses, when the leaves are at their peak, how to choose your outfit, a comment from a couple who shot here with us, and practical details for planning your pre-wedding photoshoot in Tokyo.
🍂 Contents
- What Is the Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue?
- Why It Is Perfect for Wedding Photos
- The Straight Avenue: A Tunnel of Gold
- Fallen Leaves and Playful Moments
- Jingu Stadium and Other Nearby Spots
- When to Go: Peak Season and the Rest of the Year
- Kimono or Wedding Dress?
- What a Couple Said About Their Shoot
- Practical Information and Our Plans
What Is the Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue?
The Ginkgo Avenue runs for about 300 meters through Meiji Jingu Gaien in Kita-Aoyama, Minato City, leading from Aoyama-dori Avenue toward the domed Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery. Ginkgo trees line both sides of the road, each carefully shaped into a tall cone, so the avenue has a beautifully regular, elegant rhythm.
In autumn, the whole avenue turns brilliant yellow, and many people visit to enjoy one of Tokyo’s best-known autumn views. It has also appeared in Japanese films and TV dramas.
Despite being in the middle of the city, the avenue feels open and airy, with wide sidewalks and plenty of sky above the trees.
Why It Is Perfect for Wedding Photos
The straight lines of the avenue give your photos natural depth, almost like a scene from a movie. When the two of you stand in the center, the rows of trees on either side frame you perfectly. And the bright yellow backdrop makes white kimono, black montsuki and white wedding dresses stand out with striking clarity.
✨ Highlights of the Ginkgo Avenue
・A golden tunnel of trees in autumn, one of Tokyo’s most iconic seasonal views
・Straight lines that give your photos depth and a cinematic feel
・Beautiful for both kimono and Western wedding attire
・Fresh green in spring and summer
・Open every day, with a modest permit fee
The Straight Avenue: A Tunnel of Gold
Standing side by side in the middle of the avenue is the classic shot. From a distance, your photographer can capture the full sweep of yellow trees with the two of you small at the center, like a postcard. From a lower angle, the height of the trees and the golden canopy feel even more dramatic.
The avenue is also a wonderful setting to recreate your proposal: the groom kneels and takes the bride’s hand as the golden trees stretch into the distance behind you.
Walking hand in hand along the avenue, photographed from behind, feels like the two of you are setting off down a path together. It is a quiet, meaningful image. The avenue is a public road with sidewalks and passersby, so your photographer will time each shot carefully and look for quieter moments.
Fallen Leaves and Playful Moments
At the height of the season, fallen leaves cover the sidewalks in a carpet of yellow. This is the perfect place for fun, seasonal shots: shaping the leaves into a heart and making a heart with your hands behind it, tossing handfuls of leaves into the air, or simply sitting together on the golden carpet.
Japanese umbrellas are another favorite prop here. A red and a white umbrella add a festive touch against the yellow, and leaning close under one umbrella creates a sweet, intimate portrait.
Outdoor photoshoot plans in Tokyo
Kimono and Western location plans include your outfit, hair and makeup, a professional photographer and retouched photo data. See our plan details and latest prices.
Jingu Stadium and Other Nearby Spots
Meiji Jingu Gaien is also home to Jingu Stadium, a famous baseball stadium, and the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery. If any of these places hold memories for you, we can include them in your shoot.
One couple who shot with us chose Jingu Stadium because it held special memories from their university days. Alongside their photos under the ginkgo trees, they recreated their proposal and held a “just married” garland in front of the stadium.
When to Go: Peak Season and the Rest of the Year
The ginkgo leaves usually turn golden from mid-November to early December, although the timing shifts a little each year. At the start of the season, the trees show a soft gradient of green and yellow. At the peak, the whole avenue glows gold, and just after the peak, the fallen leaves create a thick yellow carpet underfoot.
In spring and summer, the avenue is a fresh, vivid green, giving your photos a bright and airy feel, and the shade of the trees keeps things comfortable on warm days. In winter, the bare branches create a clean, graphic look, and on a snowy day the avenue can turn into a quiet silver world.
Peak season is very popular, so if you are hoping for golden leaves, contact us early and keep a few backup dates in mind. We will keep you updated on how the leaves are changing as your date approaches.
🍂 Planning an autumn shoot?
See our guide to autumn pre-wedding photos in Japan, including when to book.
Kimono or Wedding Dress?
Kimono. A white shiromuku stands out beautifully against the golden trees, and the black of the groom’s montsuki adds a crisp contrast. Red or vermilion iro-uchikake create a festive autumn look, while green or navy kimono contrast boldly with the yellow.
Wedding dress. In a white dress, the avenue feels like a tree-lined boulevard in Europe, stylish and modern. Slim, sleek silhouettes echo the straight lines of the avenue, and a navy tuxedo looks especially sharp against the yellow.
Because you will move along a public avenue, a dress with a manageable train is easiest. You will not need to remember any poses: your photographer guides you throughout, and our hair and makeup artist (and kimono dresser for kimono shoots) keeps your look neat at every stop.
What a Couple Said About Their Shoot
Here is a comment from a couple who had their kimono wedding photos taken at the Ginkgo Avenue with Wedding Avenue (translated from Japanese).
“We love the ginkgo avenue at Jingu Gaien and used to visit every autumn. We thought a white shiromuku and montsuki hakama would look beautiful against the yellow. Jingu Stadium is also a place full of memories from our university days, so we’re so happy we could shoot there too. Our hair and kimono stayed perfect the whole time, and the photographer was really fun, chatting with us all the way through.”
Kimono location shoot at the Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue
Practical Information and Our Plans
We handle the permit application for you. If the weather is not cooperating, Wedding Avenue offers free rescheduling as many times as needed (please contact us by the day before).
You receive 200 edited images (currently with a 100-shot bonus campaign) with no extra charge for data, and color retouching is included. Location permit fees and taxi fares between the studio and the location are not included in the plan price, and we will explain them before you book. Please see our plan page for the latest prices and campaigns.
When you contact us, feel free to share photos you have saved on social media, or simply tell us the mood you like. Consultations are free, both online and in person, and our team supports couples traveling from overseas from planning through the day of the shoot.
WEDDING AVENUE TOKYO
Golden autumn wedding photos in Tokyo
Tell us the season and the look you have in mind,
and our planners will help you shape the day.