The park is located at the center of Tokyo between the Imperial Palace, Kasumigaseki (most of Japan's government buildings are located here) and Shinbashi (a major business district).
Western style buildings surround the park. The best known is the Gothic style Shisei Kaikan (the location of Japan's national wire service during WWII).
The Imperial Hotel (perhaps Japan's top hotel) is another prominent example of western architecture in the area (across the street from the park). It was originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
The 40 acre park was once a Meiji-era military base. A public square now stands at the site of the former military parade grounds.
The park features a wide variety of Western art donated by various nations. Much of it has a dark gothic feel.
(photo: Lupa Romana statue was a gift from Itally in 1938. It depicts two boys of Roman mythology who were raised by wolves.)
The park is well managed. For example, its gardens have flowers timed to bloom with each month of the year. It's also popular for its autumn colors (including a massive 400 year old Ginko tree known as the Risky Ginko).
Being so close to Japan's national government buildings and the Imperial Palace — Hibiya park has been the site of numerous public protests. The most significant was perhaps the Hibiya Incendiary Incident of 1905. Protestors upset with the terms of a treaty with Russia (Treaty of Portsmouth) ended up burning down 70 percent of the police stations in Tokyo.
Today, events in the park tend to be of the more peaceful variety. There's a large stage that's used for concerts (every Wednesday and Friday night in the summer).
Hibiya park is also the site of numerous fundraisers, festivals and events through the year such as Oktoberfest Tokyo.
(run for the cure)
(railroad festival)
Hibiya park is close to some of Tokyo's largest business districts (e.g. Marunouchi). It's well known that exhausted salary men choose the park as a place to nap during working hours. Benches in the park are designed to prevent such naps.
The park also has excellent tennis courts (the most popular in Tokyo). You need friends at the highest levels of Japan's government and business elite to get a reservation.
Hibiya park also features exercise fields, gardens, fountains, ponds, restaurants, kiosks, forests and a library.
Hibiya is ranked #3 of 12 best Tokyo neighborhoods for hotels
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