FTY720, a novel immunosuppressant, sequesters circulating mature lymphocytes, especially T cells, within lymph nodes and Peyer’s patches by accelerating lymphocyte homing, and thereby causes lymphocyte depletion in the blood. The FTY720‐induced acceleration of lymphocyte homing appears to be mediated by lymphocyte homing receptors including CD62L, CD49d/β7, and CD11a/CD18. In this study, expressions of CD62L, CD49d and CD11a on T cells in the peripheral blood, lymph nodes and Peyer’s patches were analysed by flow cytometry in rats given FTY720 (1 mg/kg) orally. FTY720 markedly decreased the number of peripheral blood T cells, while not affecting CD62L, CD49d and CD11a expressions at 1–3 hr after administration. In contrast, both the frequency of CD62L‐positive T cells and intensity of CD62L expression on T cells were increased in Peyer’s patches but not lymph nodes at 3 hr after administration of FTY720. CD49d and CD11a expressions on T cells were unaffected by FTY720 in both Peyer’s patches and lymph nodes at the same point in time. On the other hand, analysis of lymphocyte homing with calcein‐labelled lymphocytes and anti‐CD62L monoclonal antibody (mAb) confirmed that FTY720 predominantly increased CD62L‐dependent lymphocyte homing to Peyer’s patches. These findings indicate that FTY720 increases the frequency of CD62L‐positive T cells by accelerating CD62L‐predominant homing in Peyer’s patches.