When you think of Japan in the spring, the first thing that comes to mind is sakura. This was the first time I was living in Tokyo for the magical season and luckily enjoyed the full bloom in late March ~ Early April. During sakura season, it can be notoriously crowded…It might even deter you away from seeing the flowers. But it’s truly a magical period in Japan where you can see beautiful light pink blooms illuminating the sometimes dull city. Don’t forget to go “hanami” or flower viewing during this time! Grab a picnic sheet from daiso, bentos from the convenience store or super market, and maybe even some strong zeros if you’re feeling it. While the flowers are best enjoyed under sunny skies, you can still get beautiful pictures even when it’s cloudy!
Here are some of my favorite spots I visited this year (from least to most favorite):
Imperial Palace:
This was actually my first time visiting the imperial palace in Tokyo. Although you cannot go in, you can walk along the outside of the palace. If you go during sakura season, take a stroll around Chidorigafuchi Park and around the lake area. I visited pretty late, so most sakura was past peak. But during full bloom, you can rent a boat and go around to moat area on a romantic date! I heard the lines can get a few hours long, so if you’re limited on time, I would skip this stop.
Ueno Park:
If you’re interested in experiencing “Hanami” you should check out Ueno Park. We learned that people arrive early in the morning to set up their mats, drop of cases of drinks and then often come back at night for the illumination and to drink under the sakura! If you’re the unlucky company worker, you might have to sit outside in the cold all day until your coworkers finish lunch. Sadly the girl next to us was one of those workers who had to sit all day at the park and wait :(
I met up with Erin during the day, we picked up some bentos and snacks and had a picnic during the day. Although the weather was a bit cold to sit outside, my first hanami was a fun experience. The park was lively and filled with lots of cute old couples and groups enjoying the day together. Come prepared with some napkins and wet wipes to wipe off the dirt!
Nihonbashi:
Known as a business district of Tokyo, Nihonbashi is home to many big department stores in Tokyo. During sakura season, you can walk along Nihonbashi Sakura-dori. As you exit the station, you can walk nearby the the street where sakura line the roadways. If you love street photography, this may be the place for you. The streets are pretty empty so you can run in the middle and take a few shots. The neighborhood is quiet and you can enjoy the flowers while walking along the road for a while.
Kamakura:
This is one of my favorite places near Tokyo at any time of the year. I have visited Kamakura to see the Buddha during every season but sakura season. This year, I was luckily enough to visit and was amazed at how beautiful the area was. If you’re traveling to Kamakura, you must visit Kotoku-In for the daibutsu (Buddha Statue). The pink sakura pair nicely against the blueish green tint of the buddha. Although the sakura in the temple area is not very abundant, you can get a great shot of sakura in front of the buddha from afar. It’s perfect for those insta-esque photos.
On the other side of town, you can visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, which has a sakura lined walkway leading up to the temple. At the entrance, there is a tranquil pond you can relax around after the temple.
If you are traveling back to the city, I also recommend stopping at Ofuna Kannon-Ji. It is another massive Buddhist temple with a large white statue. Unfortunately we got there at 4 PM right after they closed the gates. But seeing it from outside made us want to visit the area again!
Asakusa:
If you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo, this is one of the towns you must hit! Asakusa is a blend of old and new Tokyo. Sensoji and Nakamise Dori are top locations for both tourists and locals to hit.
During sakura season, you can take a boat cruise from ports in Tokyo all the way to Asakusa. Along the way, you’ll see the sidewalks lined with bright sakura trees, people doing hanami, and of course hoards of people walking up and down the street. If you plan to take a boat ride, remember to go early in order to get a spot! Japanese people love to wait in lines so you must go early or reserve in advance.
Once you arrive as Asakusa, you can walk along the river bank where they have matsuri (festival) lanterns and stands set up. You can even get an incredible view of the sakura in front of the sky tree for a magical spring picture.
End the night with a nice tempura or unagi dinner in the area. Since I went with my grandparents, we went to one of their favorite places where they knew the hostesses. We ordered Fugu (pufferfish) jelly, Fugu Sashimi, Eihire (Stingray Fin), and a tempura teishoku!
Kawagoe:
I visited Kawagoe at the end of March this year. The city is known for it’s Edo period buildings where traditional and modern shops line the street. It was my first time visiting the city and I had such a great time! It takes a while to reach Kawagoe from Tokyo, but if you have a day to spare, its well worth the visit!
Our first stop was to Kita-in Temple. During Sakura season, the temple is filled with sakura trees. Many people go there to do hanami as they also have a festival in the grounds with many food stands! You can go and relax while eating some great festival foods. You have to pay to go into the actual temple area where they have a separate garden. But we opted to just stay outside and explore the grounds and festival area.After visiting Kita-in, we walked to the main road of Kawagoe. It was crowded with locals and tourists. Although the main shopping area does not have any sakura, it does have a bunch of stores, tea houses, and restaurants to enjoy! Kawagoe is known for sweet potato, so you should try some sweet potato products in the city. During the weekend, there were performances, food vendor stalls, and a art market all happening along the street!
We then made our way to Hikawa Shrine, one of the other main temples in the area. At the shrine, you can enjoy “fishing” for omikuji (fortune). The shrine is known for relationships and matchmaking so if you are in need of some luck in that department, you can pick up a charm or good luck fortune there! In the back of the shrine, you can access Shingashi river which is lined with sakura trees. I would say this was my favorite sakura spot. This area is particularly stunning as it’s not super crowded but there are a LOT of sakura trees! The flowers were beautiful and the area was so calm so you could really enjoy it. During peak season, they have a free boat ride service as well.
Naka Meguro:
Perhaps the most well known sakura spot is the Meguro River located nearby Naka Meguro Station. I hate crowds so I was a bit worried about visiting this location as it is notoriously crowded. On weekends, the station is packed with sakura-lovers hoping to snap a picture of the serene river.
I met Erin at the station on a weekday, and luckily the area was not too crowded around 11 AM. Out of all the sakura spots this year, I think this one definitely won by far. The area is illuminated with pink festival lanterns, food vendors, and of course many sakura trees. Each lookout on the path looks similar but different. You can take 1,000 pictures easily here during full bloom. Although I only went during the day, this spot is a popular area to visit at night as they have a night illumination during the full bloom period. The river is absolutely stunning and is a must go if you’re in Japan for sakura season!
Japan in the spring is truly magical! The Japanese love the short lived sakura season and within good reason! All of Tokyo is engulfed in beautiful light pink sakura blossoms that last only for a few weeks. Be sure to time your trip if you plan to visit during this season 🌸
