Institute for Nature Study 国立科学博物館附属自然教育園

While plenty of parks can be found in major cities, few metropolises boast a genuine nature reserve or forest. Located in downtown Tokyo, the Institute for Nature Study is a serene and green oasis.

The institute is a ten-minute walk from Meguro Station on the JR Yamanote and Tokyu Meguro lines.

Within the confines of the Institute for Nature Study you'll wander through botanical gardens and see a myriad of evergreen and deciduous trees. The ponds and marshes are home to many beautiful birds. Occasionally you'll get close enough to the garden's perimeter to remember you're in Tokyo, but within the institute it's easy to forget your broader surroundings.

While the experience is more sensory than cerebral, there's much to learn from the research, exhibitions and lectures at the Education Management Building.

This serene tract of land is a prime spot to see the leaves change in autumn, but the grounds are just as striking in spring and summer.

In Tokyo, there are a number of charming getaways from the city noise. The Institute of Nature is special, however, for its complete environmental immersion.