It comes as no surprise that seeing cherry blossoms in Japan is on everyone’s travel bucket list. Imagine the wind gently brushing across your hair and the next thing you see are pink flower petals gracefully dancing in the air. If you’re planning to visit Tokyo for the sakura season, we’ve rounded up ten best places to find cherry blossoms in the city (minus the crowd for some of these spots).
1. Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is famous for being one of the oldest Japanese-style gardens in Tokyo, and even more notable for its rare weeping cherry tree. While you’re there, you can even stop by the tea house for a cup of hot ocha and traditional snacks. What better way to immerse yourself in the traditional Japanese culture.
2. Kasai Rinkai Park
It’s the largest park in Central Tokyo and only a mere station away from Tokyo Disneyland. Here you can find a bird sanctuary, a Ferris wheel, an observation building and the Tokyo Sea Life Park aquarium. You can also enjoy the picturesque view of Mount Fuji from the park which makes your cherry blossom encounter an even more unforgettable one.
3. Rikugien Garden
Another large Japanese garden with the mesmerising weeping cherry tree, Rikugien Garden looks extra spectacular in the evening when the garden is lit up for a magical touch. You’ll see the tree as soon as you enter through the main gate.
4. Koganei Park
Koganei Park is home to the most number of cherry trees in the city—around 1,700 trees with over 50 different varieties of them. There will be a festival held on the first Saturday and Sunday in April where visitors can find traditional performing arts performances, tea houses and ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement).
5. Kinuta Park
The vast space available at the park makes it a perfect spot for picnic and hanami (which means flower viewing in Japanese). It’s quite a distance away from the Tokyo Metropolis area but the flowers here are worth the journey. Besides, you can also stop by the nearby Setagaya Art Museum.
6. Sumida Park
Sumida Park and its cherry blossom trees line both sides of the Sumida River, making it a great place for long walks surrounded by the pale pink blossoms. You can also see the famous Tokyo Skytree from the park.
7. Koishikawa Botanical Garden
Owned by the prestigious Tokyo University, the garden—not to be confused with the similarly-named Koishikawa Korakuen Garden—is relatively more peaceful and quiet compared to the others.
8. Asukayama Park
Featuring a whimsical play area for children, it’s a great family-friendly spot for hanami. Besides viewing the cherry blossoms, you can also visit the three museums in the area: Asukayama Museum, the Paper Museum, and the Shibusawa Memorial Museum.
9. Showa Kinen Park
Roughly 40 times the size of Tokyo Dome, the park is among the largest in the city. With over 1,500 cherry trees, this is a breathtaking hanami spot as you will also get to see other flowers such as lavenders, tulips, azaleas and daffodils. Rental bikes are available to make getting around the park more convenient.
10. Sarue Onshi Park
Sarue Onshi Park is a recreational area with facilities such as tennis courts, baseball and athletic fields. It’s also known as one of the places to enjoy the cherry blossoms. There’s a weeping cherry tree here as well and the Tokyo Skytree can be seen from a distance.
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