Today was the first day of quality cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo. I knew it would be crowded being a Sunday afternoon but I couldn’t pass the up the opportunity to go to my favorite viewing spot—the Meguro River!
Of course, I Periscoped the beautiful cherry blossoms “sakura” 桜which you can see below:
These cherry blossoms are the most common type found around Tokyo called “somei yoshino” 染井吉野.
Once they start to open, they will reach full bloom “mankai” 満開 in a few days. They will remain in full bloom for only a few days after that and then the petals will begin to fall.
The whole period lasts about 10-14 days.
Taken yesterday in my neighborhood. Not quite in full bloom yet.
Because these cherry blossoms are ubiquitous in Japan, the beginning of spring, typically the end of March through the first week or two of April in Tokyo, is a very special time.
It marks the end of the Japanese school year (end of March) and the beginning of the new school year as well as fiscal year (the first of April).
Today at the Meguro River. Almost in full bloom and a perfect sunny day today!
One of the most popular activities in Tokyo during the cherry blossom season is called “hanami” 花見. This literally translates to “flower viewing” but it actually means a lot more than just that. It usually involves a group of friends or co-workers staking out a spot underneath a cherry blossom tree at a park with a large tarp. Once the spot is taken, people usually enjoy the time by drinking, eating, and sometimes singing!
The place I went to today (Meguro River) has cherry blossoms lining the sides of the river so there are no spots to sit down. This makes it one of the premier spots to “view” the cherry blossoms rather than plopping down for a few hours. They are also lit up at night which I hope to go back and view another day.
Heavy crowds here today!
One of many street vendors on the side streets
All next week I hope to visit more spots and bring them to you via Periscope and posting photos here. Hope you come back and share that with me!
