My 5 Favourite places to Hanami in Sakura season.

Sakura Season is upon us!

Each year towards the end of March, the Sakura blossoms come out for a fleeting few days and with it the Japanese people.

When I wrote about the significance of the Sakura season and the history behind it, I also explained what ‘hanami’ was all about:

“‘Hanami’ is directly translated as flower viewing. ‘Hanami’ can be a stroll in the park, admiring the flowers, but traditionally it is a picnic under the trees, with friends and family, food, drink and music. Why not, they are truly beautiful!”

So where will you find me this Sakura season?

Showa Kinen Park

Admittedly I’ve yet to visit it during the peak of Sakura season, but it has the most beautiful area which has masses of cherry blossoms, which I can just imagine are beautiful. I have been there towards the end of the season, and the weeping cherry in the Japanese garden was just spectacular!

Shinjuku Goen National Garden

This has been our go to park over the last few years. That said, I doubt whether we will be enjoying our hanami at Shinkuju gone this year, simply because dogs aren’t allowed in…

Yoyogi Park

Chances are very good you will find us here this year. Dogs are allowed in the park, it is our local park and it has a beautiful area for children to play, burn off energy while the adults admire pink cherry blossoms!

Ueno Koen

Ueno is just beautiful in Sakura season. It is also very entertaining. The paths/ roads that go though the park have areas that are cordoned off and have blue tarpaulin laid on the ground. Watching corporate Japanese people enjoying their picnic, shoes beautifully placed next to the tarpaulins oblivious to people around them makes for a very interesting outing.

Aoyama cemetery

I would never have dreamed of enjoying a hanami picnic at a cemetery, but I have done and it was something unique to Japan. The blossoms are magnificent and there were a variety of different shades of pink.

So I’m off, to go and enjoy the blossoms. Hope to see you there!

 

To see the Sakura Forecast for 2016, click here