It was close! Our plane back to the US was to leave on the evening of March 25 and reports were that the cherry blossoms might begin to bloom in Tokyo at about that time. So, we took the train north on the 24th to be able to run into Tokyo on the day of our departure. We relied on what we learned online, rather than from the desk clerk at our Narita hotel (“no, that’s not until April”) and headed for Ueno Park where the cherry trees tend to bloom a day or two earlier than in other areas of Tokyo.
We were rewarded with lovely blooms on a number of mature trees at Ueno. We had seen the first blossoms on 3 varieties of small trees in a neighborhood park in Hirikata, but it takes a mature tree for a grand display.
The city is well prepared for people enjoying hanami or flower viewing. Areas are cordoned off to set up viewing parties and trash collection is exceptionally well organized. The crowds when the trees are at their peak must be as amazing to see as the trees!
Here, the sponsors get prominent billing for supporting the sakura (cherry tree) festival.
We didn’t remember seeing this Starbucks right in Ueno Park the last time we were here in November 2013. They were doing a wonderful business selling coffee and sakura cake!
We also ventured over to Shinjuku to visit a park we hadn’t seen during our last visit to Tokyo – Shinjuku Gyoen – known as one of Tokyo’s most beautiful parks and the best place in the country to view cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, we were a little too early for a good display.
Although it is never too early to appreciate the beautiful blossoms people look forward to each year and there is a new park for us to explore the next time we’re in Tokyo. With that, it was a train ride back to Narita and the long journey home.