The Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Tokyo
The Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Tokyo
Grab your camera and get ready for your anime moment in the midst of the falling petals. To get you in the mood for spring, we’ve compiled a list of some of Tokyo’s greatest sakura (cherry blossom) viewing places.
While some people prefer crowded venues with a bustling ambiance, others prefer a calm, relaxing opportunity to wander through Tokyo’s cherry blossoms – we have both covered. This list has been separated into the most popular parks and gardens and the quieter sakura sites, which will still have visitors but not as many. At the conclusion, there are even a few super-chilled spots, some of which are slightly outside of Tokyo. Keep in mind that “secret” and “sakura” are virtually oxymoron’s – Tokyo knows and loves her trees, so if it’s gorgeous, people will flock to it.
Most popular places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo
1. Ueno Park
Ueno Park has not yet confirmed whether the annual matsuri — in any form — will go ahead or not.
One of the most popular (and crowded) hanami spots in Tokyo, Ueno Park is where the sakura famously bloom a bit earlier. An estimated 800 cherry trees line the central path, and people typically picnic on both sides, using blankets or tarps to claim whatever space they can.
Access: Close to Ueno Station — just follow the crowds!
Cost: Free
Shinjuku Gyoen
This is the place to go if you want to be a little more relaxed. There are around 1,300 cherry trees, all of which are in various stages of blossom. Shinjuku Gyoen Park is large, with large lawns and plenty of walking paths, so even if it’s crowded, you can still take a relaxing stroll among the sakura flowers. There are three gardens: an English garden, a French garden, and a Japanese garden; the English garden has the greatest picnic areas. In comparison to most other parks, the ambiance here is more calmer. See what else Shinjuku has to offer.
Imperial Palace East Gardens
The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace are free to the public to visit. Some people have picnics there, but it isn’t known for being a sakura picnic destination. The gardens’ vastness, on the other hand, make them ideal for a leisurely stroll. In contrast to all the concrete in surrounding modern Marunouchi, Tokyo’s commercial center, the sakura offer a lovely touch of old Tokyo.
Access: The palace being huge, there are several nearby stations: 5 minutes from Exit C13A of Otemachi Station | Exit 1A of Takebashi Station | 10 minutes from Exit 6 of Nijubashimae Station | the Marunouchi North Exit of Tokyo Station.
Cost: Free
Chidorigafuchi and Kitanomaru Park
Chidorigafuchi is one of Tokyo’s most beautiful sakura places, as well as a place where you can get in a boat with your date (or idle buddies) and row around an Edo-era moat on Imperial Palace grounds. You may meander down the 700m-long trail instead if you’re shaky on the water, oohing and ahhing your way through the cherry blossom tunnel.
Source: https://bit.ly/3u7FT74
