Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots

Chidorigafuchi is one of the moats of a former Edo castle, current the Imperial Palace, boasting its beautiful scene as one of the 100 major cherry blossom-viewing spots in Japan.
You may be able to enjoy a boat ride along the moat, surrounded by 400m of cherry trees layered over the moats which are lit up of an evening(if you are patient enough standing in line for hours). Since naighboring Yasukuni Shrine you can enjoy the cherry blossoms with doves there as well. Walking a littile further leads you Higashi-Gyoen (the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace). A "Sakura(Cherry blossoms) Festival" is held every April. It's highly recommended.

• Location :2-3 Kudan-Minami Chiyodaku Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.130, mainly Somei-yoshino type
• Charge :free (boat ride from JPY800-)
• Note :Bringing alcohole and holding parties are not permitted.
• Access :5 minuts walk from Kudanshita station (Hanzo-mon, To-zai, Toei Shinjuku lines).
• | Map |

Yasukuni shrine has the three cherry trees which are standard for forecasting by the Meteorological Agency of the timing of cherry blossom bloom in Tokyo.
It holds "Sakura Matsuri (Cherry blossom Festival)" at the beginning of April (Mar/25 Fri -Apr/3 Sun.2005), which is attended by about 300,000 people, a lot of street stalls are open. There is also a doves house which has about 600 doves.

• Location :3-1-1 Kudan-kuta Chiyoda-ku Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.800, mainly Somei-yoshino type and others
• Charge :free (boat ride from JPY800-)
• Note :No flammables, bringing alcohole permitted (bringin alcohole permitted only in the Outer Garden during the festival) No littering
• Access :3 minutes walk from Kudanshita station (Hanzo-mon, To-zai, Toei Shinjuku lines).
• | Map | Yasukuni Shrine Web site |

After shopping in Shinjuku take a break and walk across the lawn filled with about 75 types of cherry and plum trees in the 58ha area. You can enojoy verious kind of cherry blossoms for a long time since bloom period depends on the spices.There are French, British and Japanese gardens.

• Location :11 Naito-cho Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.1,500, 75 types of cherry including Somei-yoshino
• Time :9:00am-4:30pm closed Mon. or Tue. if a national holiday falls on Mon. (opened on mondays during Mar/25-Apr/24)
• Charge :JPY200
• Note :No bringing alcohole, holding parties, taking your pets permitted
• Access :5 minuts walk from Shinjuku Gyoen station(Marunouchi line), Sendagaya station(JR line).
• | Map | Shinjuku Gyoen Web site |

This park in the Japanese old town has almost about a 1km row of trees along Sumida river on the side of Taito-ku ward. There is also a park across over the river on the side of Sumida-ku ward. You may enjoy the view from a the water bus ride. It holds a Sakura Matsuri(Cherry blossom Festival) in April 2/Apr3 and monthly antique market.

• Location :11 Naito-cho Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.350 on the Sumida-ku ward side, 670 on the Taito-ku ward side.
• Time:all day everyday
• Charge :Free
• Note :No flammables permitted
• Access :2 minute walk from Asakusa(Ginza, Asakusa line)station.
• | Map |

It has been a one of the major cherry blossom-viewing spots since Edo period. In the full bloom about 240,000 people come up there. In 53 square meters the 1200 cherry trees are lit up with lanterns in the evening. There are some historical, art museums, Takamori-Saigo Stature, shrines, zoos, and ponds. In the cherry blossoms season you might see people having parties in the evening, it's recommended that you go in daytime if you want to see cherry blossoms in a quiet atomosphere. It holds a Sakura Matsuri (Cherry blossom Festival) in April(Mar/19-Apr/24.2005), Natsu Matsuri (Summer Festival) in July-August(Jan/17-Aug/10) every year.

• Location :5-20 Ueno Koen Taito-ku Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.1,200
• Time:5:00am-11:00pm
• Charge :Free
• Note :No flammables, Karaoke or playing instruments, holding places permitted
• Access :Near Ueno station(JR, Hibiya, Ginza lines).
• | Map |

This park of feudal lord used to be a detached palace of the Meiji Emperor. Find the great view of the cherry trees lit up in the evening(sunset-9:00pm, Apr/2-Apr/17.2005) from Ocha on the tidal pond of Shioiri no Ike.

• Location :1-1 Hamarikyuteien, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.100, about 30 types of cherry trees
• Time:9:00am-5:00pm(entrance -4:30pm, -8:30pm during Apr/2-Apr/17)
• Charge :JPY300
• Note :No holding parties, bringing alcohole permitted / bringing food permitted
• Access :A 7 walk from the No.9 exit of Tameike or Tsukijiichiba station(Oedo line), 12 walk from the Shinbashi station(JR, Ginza lines).
• | Map and detail |

This park has been one of the major cherry blossom viewing spots since the 8th Tokugawa Shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa had this park planted seedlings of cherry blossoms opened to the public. Paperlanterns are lit up in the evening. Sakura Matsuri Festival on Mar.26 and Mar.27.2005.

• Location :1-1-3 Ouji, Kita-ku, Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.650, about 30 types of cherry trees
• Time:24hrs.
• Charge :Free
• Note :No flammable permitted, Bringing alcohole, holding paties permitted.
• Access :Near the central or South exit of O-ji station(JR Keihin Tohokuline), The No.1 exit of Subway Nan boku, To-den Arakawa lines.

Relish great stralls along the 8.3km-long rows of The cherry trees alongside of the Meguro river, from around Megoro station to Ikejiri Ohashi station(Denentoshi line).

• Location :1-1-3 Ouji, Kita-ku, Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.830, Somei Yoshino type
• Time:24hrs.
• Charge :Free
• Note :No permitted, Bringing alcohole, holding paties permitted. No littering.
• Access :Along the Meguro river. Near Meguro station(JR line, Nanboku, Toei Mita lines). Near Nakameguro station (Tokyu Toyokoko line).

Relish great stralls along the rows of The cherry trees alongside of the Kanda river! From Nakano hashi Bridge would give you good views of the cherry blossoms.

• Location :From Around Nishi-Waseda 1 to Nishi-Waseda 3, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
• Number of the trees :-
• Time:24hrs.
• Charge :Free
• Note :No No littering.
• Access :Along the Kanda river. Near Omokagebashi or Waseda station(Toden Arakawa line).
• photo: Kandagawa photo gallery by POCO

Noted literary personalities and politicians lie at rest the cemetary including Ph.D. Eizaburo Ueno and his faithful dog Hachiko which is now found as a statue in Shibuya. The 700 km-long Cherry blossom tunnel running through the center of the cemetary creates magical atmosphere.

• Location :2-32-2 Minimi-Aoyama Minato-ku Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.400
• Time:24 hrs
• Charge :Free
• Note :This is Cemetary. You know how to behave there. :)
• Access :10 minute walk from Gaien-mae(Ginza line), Nogizaka (Chiyoda line)stations.
• | Map |
• Hachiko : The True Story of a Loyal Dog
  (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards)

View of the cherry blossoms on a boat on the Inokashira pond is fabulous, being surrounded by the pale pink walls. Boat ride from JPY 600.

• Location :1-18-31 Godenyama Musashino-shi Tokyo
• Number of the trees :approx.600, 3 types of cherry blossoms including Somei Yoshino
• Time:24 hrs
• Charge :Free
• Note :No littering. Parties are permitted untill 10:00pm
• Access :Near Inokashira Koen station(Keio Inokashira line), a five min walk from Kichijoji station(JR chuo, Keio Inokashira lines)
• | Map |

A Japanese style garden spreading over 175,000 square meters in Yokohama which was build by Sankei Hara, a silk trading business man. Boasts special features including historic buildings collected from Kyoto and the Kamakura areas. Various range of seasonal flowers arranged creates every seasonal landscape in this garden including cherry blossoms. Beautiful enough to invite people from every region of the country. The cherry blossoms are lit up in the evening (Mar/25-Apr/10.2005) .

• Location :58-1 Hommoku Sannotani, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken
• Number of the trees :approx.600
• Time:The outer garden:9:00am-16:30, the inner garden Gasho zukuri houses: 9:00am-4:00pm
• Charge :The outer and innter garden:JPY300, Gasho zukuri houses:JPY100
• Access :From JR Negishi line, Negishi station, at Bus Stop No. 1,take any one of the municipal buses labeled Route No. 58, 99, 101, 108 or 126. Get off at Honmoku (10 minutes'ride),and then walk to the Garden(7 minutes).
  Form the East exit of Yokohama station, at Bus stop No.2, take either municipal bus labeled Route No.8. Get off at Honmoku Sankeien Mae(35 min. ride) and then walk to the garden(5 min. walk).
• | More detail (Note: English version is in a PDF file) |
• photo:Sankeien

This park on a small hill gives you a very quiet atomosphere and view of MM21 over Sakuragicho station. There is a Japanese garden-like pond. There is also a library and a Noh theater near by. It is a good spot for a relaxing break. One of the major cherry blossom-viewing spots.

• Location :57 Momijigaoka Nishi-ku Yokohama-shi Kanagawa-ken
• Number of the trees :approx.-
• Time:24hrs
• Charge :Free
• Access :15 minutes walk from Sakuragicho station (JR Negishi, Tokyo Toyoko, Shiei Chikatetsu lines). It is opposite side of MM21, cross over Rt.16.
• | Map |