Tokyo in 12 Months - March
Cherry-blossom viewing
(Tokyo, Japan)
As the spring approaches, the leading role of the weather forecast in a news program becomes the forecast of cherry blossom. Except Amami and Okinawa region that belong to subtropical regions and where the early cherry blossom blooms in February is not reported because of the different species of cherry tree, the cherry blossom goes up to the north over 2 months across the Japan Archipelago, from Kochi in Shikoku island where it blooms around March 25th to Wakkanai in Hokkaido Island around May 20th. The cherry blossom front report in weather forecast programs heats up. Along with that, Japanese’ heart is buoyant.
According to the data of the Japan Meteorological Agency, the flowering date in Tokyo is between March 16th and 31st and the full-bloom date is between March 31st and April 7th. Since the dates overlap with that of a graduation ceremony and an entrance ceremony at school and an initiation ceremony at a firm in Tokyo, the cherry blossom is often related to turing points and important memories in life for Tokyo citizen.
There are many places to enjoy flowers in various regions throughout Japan. However, the cherry blossom is special because most of Japanese towns have one or two places famous from it. Among those towns, Tokyo is admired along with Kyoto for the high number of places famous from the cherry blossom. The reason why there are a lot of places of the cherry blossom would be because the scale of the population and town of Tokyo had been outstanding during 400 years since Tokyo had became the center of Japan or because Tokyo was the birthplace of the present main species of cherry tree, Somei-Yoshino ? Now, various kinds of cherry blossom viewing places make Tokyo citizen enjoy.
The first group among those is the park type. In a big park like Koganei Park, Kinuta Park or Inokashira Park, cherry trees are planted in a large scale and a park bustles with a flower viewing party and a picnic. It is a place for a group and a family.
The second is the garden type like Hama-rikyu Garden, Rikugi-en Garden or Shinjuku Gyoen Imperial Garden. It has a lot of cherry trees, but cherry trees are composed of a part of historical garden and the combination of a cherry tree with a garden is the highlight. Since a flower viewing party is prohibited in most of gardens, it is a cherry tree for a small number of people to view, taking a walk or taking a break at a teahouse.
The third is the esplanade type like Meguro River, Sumida Park, Zenpukujigawa Green Park or Chidorigafuchi. It is a space with a row of cherry trees along a river or a canal. The width of a space is narrow and, in some parks, a flower viewing party is prohibited due to consideration to a close neighborhood. Meanwhile, according to the long distance, they can enjoy walking, jogging and cycling under cherry trees.
The forth is the cemetery type like Aoyama Cemetery, Yanaka Cemetery or Somei Cemetery. Cherry trees are planted along an approach or a square. A quiet and early-spring atmosphere that doesn’t seem to be in the heart of Tokyo is the attraction. A flower viewing party is prohibited.
The fifth is the natural park type in the suburb like Takao-san Mountain or Takiyama Castle Ruin Park. It is suitable for hiking.
Those must be also classified by landscape like the plain type, the mountain type, the hill type and the waterside type. The mountain type is Takao-san Mountain or Takiyama Castle Ruin Park. The hill type developed on the gentle topography is Ueno Park or Asukayama Park. The waterside type that includes a pound, a river and a canal and reflects cherry blossom on the water is Inokashira Park, Meouro River or Chidorigafuchi.
And, the cherry blossom special for the big city is that in the evening.
Most of parks are lit up and some of gardens open at night especially. The places that are most famous from not only beauty of the night view but also a flower viewing party denser than that of the daytime are Ueno Park and Inokashira Park. Both are located near a shopping district and convenient for access and purchase of a food and liquor. So, it is difficult to find a vacant space on a weekend.
In Tokyo, the cherry blossom season coincides with the period of an entrance ceremony at school or in a firm. The first work for newcomer members of a club and new employees is often to secure a place for a cherry blossom viewing party to celebrate the entrance. Some of them sleep in a sleeping bag in a park from the previous night to get a place. Such vulgar side is also the cherry blossom.
Transportation
Link
Official Tokyo Travel Guide - Go Tokyo
Tokyo Park Association - "Let's go to the park!"
Japan Meteorological Agency
Accommodations
Accommodations in Tokyo
References
Japan Meteorological Agency
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2018.03 Photos in English version, and photos and text in Japanese version
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