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Tokyo Sakura cherry blossom travel guide

Cherry blossom season has come!

It’s a little early for popular kind Sakura “Somei Yoshino”(It’s March 4^thtoday), but different kind of Sakura called “Kawazu Zakura” is already blooming in Tokyo.

There are lots of famous spots for Sakura viewing in Tokyo, but we would like to share some not-so-noticed Sakura spots in Tokyo.

These spots are in central Tokyo, so if you are living in Tokyo, or if you are staying in Tokyo, they must be easy places to visit.

Cycling to these places are fun day trips as well!

Today, we would like to share some places where you can enjoy early kind Sakura “Kawazu Zakura”.

Best time to visit for this Sakura is in February, from mid-February to late February.

First place is famous park in Shibuya, Tokyo, called “Yoyogi Park”.

This park is well known as popular “Somei Yoshino” Sakura, but there are some “Kawazu Sakura” too. If you visit there in February, you can enjoy these early Sakura.

Second Sakura spot is “Ebara shrine”, which is located beside Meguro river, near “Shimbamba station” (Keikyu line).

Tokyo Sakura cherry blossom spot travel guide Ebara shrine

Sakura here is another different kind called “Kanzakura”, and is the earliest Sakura in Tokyo.

You can see this Sakura starts blooming in early February!

Third spot is “Rinshi-no-mori park” in Shinagawa ward.

Tokyo Sakura cherry blossom spot travel guide Rinshi-no-mori park

This is a huge park, and just walking/cycling inside this park is also fun.

“Kawazu Zakura” trees in this park are big and very gorgeous!

You can enjoy having picnic under the cherry blossoms.

Next Sakura spot is “Happo-en” in Minato ward.

“Happo-en” is a luxury event hall for weddings and parties.

Tokyo Sakura cherry blossom spot travel guide Happo-en

This has a big and gorgeous Japanese garden.

You can go inside to see this garden for free.

This Japanese garden is worth visiting, having a big Koi pond and many precious Bonzai(Bonsai) trees.

There are so many “Nishiki goi” Koi fish swimming in the koi pond!

You can enjoy this garden in any season.

Lastly, we would like to tell you about “Todoroki Keikoku” in Setagaya ward.

Tokyo Sakura cherry blossom place travel guide Todoroki keikoku

This “Todoroki Keikoku” park is about 30 minutes bicycle ride from central Tokyo (Meguro).

Or you can go there by train using “Oimachi line” to “Todoroki station”.

In there, you can enjoy nature here, with walking beside the river.

“Keikoku” means valley, and this is a unique small valley that you can experience in Tokyo.

This place has a temple and a Japanese garden area.

In the Japanese garden, there are some bamboo trees, plum blossoms and cherry blossoms.

We hope you will add these spots to your “Tokyo explore list”, if you are planning to come visit Tokyo sometime in the future.

We will share not-so-noticed spots for “Somei Yoshino” Sakura in Tokyo soon!

Photos below are our Sakura jewelry.

You can enjoy your own cherry blossom in accessories.

Please visit our shop on Etsy, JapanCrossBridge!

Sakura cherry blossom jewelry on Etsy shop

Sakura cherry blossom ornament Etsy shop

Japanese painting calligraphy art hanging scroll Kakejiku wall decor landscape Sakura cherry tree

I am obsessed with Sakura cherry blossoms.

Sakura is Japanese symbol.

We admire Sakura cherry blossoms in many ways.

Sakura is connected to our Japanese culture deeply.

Since ancient time, Japanese people enjoyed watching Sakura, called “Ohanami” (meaning “watch flowers”)

Spring time, under Sakura trees were full of people, sitting and having picnic.

This “Ohanami” habit is still very popular in Japan.

We see “Sakura forecast” (when cherry blossom start to bloom) on the TV news.

When Sakura starts to bloom, people start going out to have picnic under the Sakura trees.

This is our major Spring event.

We also eat Sakura flowers and leaves.

Pickled Sakura flowers and leaves are used for sweets or tea.

Tea leaf container or other tools are made using Sakura trees.

We have music about Sakura, called “SAKURA”, and all Japanese should know this song.

We have color called “SAKURA color”, which is light sensitive pink.

Sakura is used as Japanese symbol in many situations.

Sakura is very familiar flower for Japanese people.

Sakura cherry blossom time is very short, about one week.

When it starts blooming, it goes very quick to be full bloom, and as soon as it becomes full bloom, leaves start to come out and flowers start falling.

So the short period in full bloom and the beauty of Sakura flowers are often likened to the fragility of human life.

That is why cherry blossoms are symbol of beauty and transience.

I love Sakura, and cherry blossom time makes me excited.

Painting Sakura makes me happy and this is a good meditation for me.

That is why I keep painting Sakura.