Chōfu: Botanical Diversity, Jindaiji and Local Culture

In Chōfu-shi, botanical, natural history and cultural heritage themes come together. Jindai Botanical Garden is known for its extensive plant collections; Jindaiji connects a long tradition with soba, a local specialty. Museums offer other perspectives, from nature along the Tama River to the history and livelihoods of the Musashino Plateau. If you are looking for a hotel in Chōfu, you can plan your trip around whether gardens, Jindaiji or museums are your main interests.

Gardens and Nature

Jindai Botanical Garden was renamed from Jindai Green Space in 1961, when it opened as Tokyo’s only botanical garden. Its collection includes about 4,800 plant species and around 100,000 plants. The grounds are divided into 30 areas by plant group, including rose, azalea, plum and cleyera gardens. The large greenhouse reopened in May 2016 after renovations; visitors can see rare tropical plants and colorful blooms there.

About 300 species and more than 10,000 wild plants grow in the wild plant garden at Jindaiji Nature Plaza, including rare Murasaki plants. The plaza also includes a wooded area suitable for walks and the Kani-yama Campground. It serves as a recreation area for local residents. The wild plant garden focuses on named plant collections, while the wooded area invites visitors to take a stroll.

The Tamagawa Nature Information Center introduces the natural environment of Chōfu-shi, with a focus on the Tama River, and serves as an environmental education facility for children and adults. The exhibition room displays live fish, plants and insects from the Tama River area. The exhibition is complemented by a learning room with books on the natural environment.

Jindaiji and Local History

According to tradition, Jindaiji was founded in 733 (Tenpyō 5) by Mankō Shōnin. A romantic love story in the Jindaiji Engi is why the temple is also known as a place for matchmaking. Shops selling Jindaiji soba, a local specialty, line the approach to the temple. Religious tradition and regional cuisine thus stand side by side as distinct aspects of local culture.

Exhibitions at the Saneatsu Memorial Museum change every four to five weeks. The museum holds more than 20,000 books and magazines, which can generally be consulted in the reading room. If you are planning your visit around a particular exhibition, check the current schedule beforehand, as dates may change.

The Jindaiji Waterwheel Museum offers another perspective on life in the region: an exhibition gallery and a waterwheel house opened there on July 31, 1992. Both introduce life and livelihoods on the Musashino Plateau.

The Chōfu Local History Museum presents exhibitions on local history, culture, nature and art, and hosts lectures, courses and hands-on learning events. Its displays on changes in the city include old photographs from the museum’s collection and landscape paintings by local artist Nakagawa Heiichi. He created the paintings over 60 years; they were donated to the museum in fiscal year 2022. The museum’s topics thus range from the city’s history to the appreciation of nature and art.

Visitor Information

Bus route 調34 takes about 15 minutes from the north exit of Chōfu Station to its terminus at Jindaiji. From there, it is a one-minute walk. As routes and stops may change, check the connection with the operator before traveling.

Discover more destinations: Toshima, Akishima, Edogawa, Shinagawa, Minato, Shibuya-ku, Arakawa, Kōtō.

For the main travel overview: Tokyo.