Joanna James
Ranked among the best cherry blossom spotting locations in Japan, Tokyo is a great place to enjoy this picturesque and yearly natural occurrence. While there are many locations where one can spot rows of cherry blossoms, here are 5 of the city's best spots to witness trees in full bloom.
While it may not be free to enter, Shinjuku Gyoen is another popular venue in Tokyo when it comes to witnessing cherry trees in full bloom between March and April. Although the park is limiting the number of people admitted inside its confines daily, those who apply for a ticket online and secure a pass will be lucky to gaze upon cherry trees away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo. With spacious lawns and tree-lined walking paths, it is perhaps the most ideal venue to walk under a canopy of Sakura flowers. Divided into a French Garden, English Garden and a Japanese Garden, horticultural fanatics will find that those who venture to Shinjuku Gyoen are also more discerning.
As one of the top free locations for cheery blossom spotting Ueno Spot remains a local favourite even though the crowds can be intense during weekends and weekday evenings. With a whopping eight hundred cherry trees lining the park's central path, cherry blossom season is the perfect time to enjoy a picnic at Ueno Park. Residents love to set up their blankets on either side of the tree-lined road during this time of year and the park's proximity to Ueno Station, after which it is named, also makes it one of the easiest cherry blossom viewing areas to visit during a trip to Tokyo.
Regarded among the finest cherry blossom viewing hubs in the city, those who head down to Chidorigafuchi can quite literally walk through a tunnel of cherry blossom trees that stretch on for 700m. Kitanomaru Park located nearby is another venue laden with cherry blossoms although the latter is far more crowded during official cherry blossom season.
Tourists based at Citadines Central Shinjuku Tokyo or any similar short-term rental in Tokyo must also visit the Imperial Palace East Gardens for its cherry blossom trees. Accessible without charge, the Imperial Palace East Gardens is perfect for those who wish to enjoy the Sakura flowers while touring a historical landmark in the form of the Imperial Palace. What sets this garden apart from other cherry blossom-laden gardens in the Japanese capital is the old-world charm that is so far removed from cosmopolitan Tokyo that it's transformative.
Occupying pride of place in a suburb of Tokyo known as the Kichijoji district, Inokashira Park is home to half a thousand cherry trees which circle the heart of the pond. Situated close to Kichijoji Station, the best time to visit the park is during the spring season and afterwards when the petals from the trees cover the pond when the blossoms shed them.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
