The bright sunlight hit my face as I woke up on my fifth day in Tokyo. With the temperature rising to low 70’s, much of Tokyo was finally starting to be in full bloom.
As my dad was arriving into Tokyo around noon, I met up with a friend and headed to Rikugien, one of Tokyo’s most famous gardens, which had a gigantic weeping tree at its entrance.
Although there were only a few cheery blossom trees, the aesthetic design of the garden was spectacular, and I’d highly recommend anyone visiting Tokyo to stop by.
Surprisingly, the garden was only moderately full, but by the time I left at around 10, there was a line forming outside filled with eager Japanese retirees.
Line control officer- only in Japan
Afterwards, we headed to Asukayama Park, a local park containing hundreds of Cherry Blossoms located adjacent to one of the main rail arteries in Tokyo.
On the way up, you could see the JR trains & Shinkansen rolling past, with the blossoms providing a unique backdrop.
The park was quite crowded with locals pouring out to enjoy the good weather and already early risers had set up their blue tarps to reserve the prime hanami spots for later on.
I then headed back to the hotel to link up with my Dad, who just arrived from Narita. After a quick shower, we headed Chidorigafuchi, located on the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace.
Compared to my visit a few days ago, the blossoms were near full bloom and the crowds had swollen considerably.
I’d recommend avoiding coming to the area during the afternoon, as it’s so crowded that you’ll find yourself staring at more people then blossoms.
One of my bucket list items for our trip to Japan was to rent a boat to get a close up view of the blossoms along the moat. Facing a line that stretched over two hours, we decided to come back first thing in the morning.
Get there early!
As we kept walking down the moat, the crowds thinned out considerably and finally we were able to soak in some of that Sakura Magic without being pushed around.
Hanami
The chilly evening soon arrived and we went to Shinjuku’s infamous Kabukicho district. The bright lights compete for the viewer’s attention on the bars, restaurants, shops, and other seedier forms of entertainment.
After our brief pit stop in Shinjuku, we headed to Shibuya’s famed Habicho pedestrian crossing. The Cherry Blossoms were starting to make an appearance, which made for some spectacular pictures!
Tip: Head to the nearby Starbucks for an unparalleled view, a small scene was shot from here in Lost In Translation.
We ate dinner at Genki Sushi, a conveyor belt sushi place known for its REALLY cheap sushi, of questionable quality. Honestly, I felt like we should have splurged more, as the Sushi while palatable, was certainly no different than sushi in the states, albeit at a much cheaper price (two pieces of nigiri start at 100 yen).
As my dad had an early flight in, we headed back to hotel after dinner to catch some shut eye. My Dad’s first day in Tokyo had been hectic, but he said he felt he was in a type of wonderland, before passing out within 30 seconds.
