Category: PLACES

Showa Kinen Park Flower Festival 2017

At Showa Kinen Park (国営昭和記念公園, Kokuei Shōwa Kinen Kōen), the flower festival starts with the cherry and rape blossoms in late March and continues until late Mayas as tulips, water lilies, and other flowers come into season. The festival which takes place for over two months attracts visitors from all ages as the myriad flowers creates a beautiful landscape.

2017 Season: March 25 – May 28, 2017
Free Entrance on:
April 29 – Showa Day
May 5 – Children’s Day
May 21 – City Greenery Promotion Campaign in Spring

04/17/2017: The cherry blossom in the park are already past peak but are still pretty to see especially with the gorgeous field of rapeseed planted near the Cherry Blossom Garden.

Vast field of fully bloomed rapeseeds.

Continue reading Showa Kinen Park Flower Festival 2017

Sakura 2017: Inokashira Park

Visit Date: 04/10/2017 (Best Time: early April)

Inokashira Park (井の頭恩賜公園) is a 43-hectares park that sits on both Mitaka and Musashino cities. It is located on the western side of Tokyo and easily accessible via the lively Kichijoji neighborhood. The park’s large pond is one of the favorite sakura spot in Tokyo with its 250 cherry trees lining up its banks.

The cherry trees around the park are already in full bloom. Some of the petals started to fall, which may be due to the winds and rain the previous day, but are still very much gorgeous.

Sakura trees line-up the banks of the large pond.

Continue reading Sakura 2017: Inokashira Park

Sakura 2017: Koganei Park

Visit Date: 04/08/2017 (Best Time: early to mid April)

Koganei Park (小金井公園) is about 40-60 minutes away from central Tokyo. It has about 1,700 cherry trees and it is considered as one of the best 100 Sakura Spots in Japan

The park provides a wide variety of activities with its children’s park, tennis courts, broad expanse of grass covered fields, archery range, baseball field, steam locomotive display, and a lot more.

The cherry blossoms in the park are already in full bloom and with the forecasted rain showers not happening, visitors flocked the park and enjoyed hanami.

The cloudy day provided a good opportunity for hanami.

Continue reading Sakura 2017: Koganei Park

Sakura 2017: Shinjuku Gyoen

Visit Date: 04/06/2017 (Best Time: early to mid April)

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (新宿御苑) is located just about 1.5 kilometers which is a short 20 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station.

The 58.3 hectares park has more than 1,500 cherry trees of more than 12 varieties which starts blooming from late March to late April and sometimes even last until early May. With its long cherry blossom season, the park is also indeed one of Tokyo’s favorite and best cherry blossom spot in Japan.

Pink and white cherry blossoms add color to the beautiful landscape around the upper pond.

Continue reading Sakura 2017: Shinjuku Gyoen

Sakura 2017: Hibiya Park

Visit Date: 04/06/2017 (Best Time: early to mid April)

Hibiya Park (日比谷公園) is a 16 hectares park that sits in front of the Imperial Palace and Imperial Hotel. It is not a major cherry blossom spot in Tokyo but it does have some lovely cherry trees. It is a good hanami spot for employees working nearby who wish to go for a quick hanami lunch break.

Cherry blossoms around the Shinkei/Kumogata Pond.

Continue reading Sakura 2017: Hibiya Park