Aoyama Reien Cemetery ()
Cherry blossom season is finally back! You may notice pops of pink blooms on the trees in your neighborhood. Sakura are blooming in Tokyo now, so make plans now to visit the city’s photogenic spots.
The blooms don’t stay for long, so catch them before they’re gone. Here are the best spots to check out the cherry blossoms and even have a hanami, viewing picnic under the beautiful pink-hued trees in Tokyo.
Tokyo Midtown is home to a 248-meter-high tower with numerous shopping, restaurants, residences and the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo hotel. In the spring, crowds flock to Midtown’s 200-meter-long promenade filled with large cherry blossom trees in the adjacent greenspace and park. At night, the blossoms are illuminated and a temporary pop-up lounge selling snacks and cocktails lets you enjoy the area into the evening hours.
This cemetery is just up the street from Hardy Barracks in Roppongi and features a long road down its center lined with cherry blossom trees. A brisk walk in the large cemetery filled with sakura will make you forget you’re in the city. Though the cemetery’s blossoms definitely draw crowds, it is also the final resting place of many famous Japanese historical, political and cultural figures, so do a little research if you want to stop by to pay your respects.
For hundreds of years, Ueno Park has been the spot for hanami picnics during cherry blossom season. The park is home to around 1,200 cherry blossom trees and brings in nearly 2 million people every year. In the evening, the blooms are softly illuminated by strings of glowing traditional paper lanterns.
The Meguro River promenade is one of the most famous yozakura or night cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo. The riverside streets stretch across four kilometers and are home to about 800 cherry blossom trees. The district is packed with many shops, restaurants and izakayas, so you can enjoy a nice meal, drinks and an ethereal pink view. After sunset, traditional bonbori lanterns give colorful glimmer over the water, offering great photo opportunities.
Chidorigafuchi (Imperial Palace)
The Chidorigafuchi Moat at the Imperial Palace offers scenic views dotted with the waterside’s cherry blossom trees. From the bloom peak onward, the water’s surface is temporarily covered with cherry blossom petals as the flowers begin to disappear. You can take your hanami on water and rent a boat to appreciate the impressive views while paddling through the sakura lined waterways.
