The Korakuen neighborhood is a great mix of venerable and modern entertainment, from the quirky thrills of Japanese baseball to a centuries-old stroll garden to an amusement park with a roller coaster that zooms right through a skyscraper. It’s an especially good place to go in June for the iris garden, anytime from April throughContinueContinue reading “Korakuen Area”
Category Archives: April
The Tokyo Toilets
Have your own perfect day exploring the seventeen amazing toilets designed by famous architects that were featured in the Wim Wenders film “Perfect Days.” If you want to see the transparent ones turn opaque when you flip the lock on the door, go between April and October, when the weather is warm enough for theContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Toilets”
Ueno Area
Ueno is the heart of “Old Tokyo,” where a vast park hosting venerable museums and thousands of sacred lotus exists side by side with busy artisans and merchants doing what they’ve been doing best for centuries Why do guidebooks send people to Ueno for all the wrong reasons? For example, if you go during cherry blossomContinueContinue reading “Ueno Area”
Flower extravaganzas of Japan: Way beyond cherry blossoms!
At the Ashikaga Flower Park Cherries, schmerries, everyone crowds in to see the fluffy pink things, but they aren’t the only flower extravaganza to see in Japan! Not only will your friends be green with envy when you show them photos of these beauties, you’ll skip the jostling crowds and high-season prices. • Plum blossomsContinueContinue reading “Flower extravaganzas of Japan: Way beyond cherry blossoms!”
Kiyosumi Teien Garden
This garden is the most undiscovered jewel in Tokyo, and a stroll around its serene pond is calming at any time of year. Designed as a green oasis, there are still a few floral surprises hidden away. If you venture into the back garden in May, that’s where they keep the irises tucked away… ThisContinueContinue reading “Kiyosumi Teien Garden”
Koshikawa Koraku-en Garden
Koshikawa Koraku-en garden is absolutely beautiful in every season. It’s most famous for its iris garden in late May to early June, but it’s also grand in February for the plum blossoms, late March to mid-April for the cherries, late April to early May for the wisteria, and for its autumn leaves in November. ThisContinueContinue reading “Koshikawa Koraku-en Garden”
Nishiarai Daishi Temple
Nishiarai Daishi is a grand Buddhist temple with all the trimmings—a great place to see all the holiday celebrations, but especially fabulous in February when the plum blossoms burst forth, in April when its renowned peony garden comes into bloom, and in late April to early May when its giant wisteria unfurls its meter-long purpleness.ContinueContinue reading “Nishiarai Daishi Temple”
Ni-no-Maru Imperial Gardens
Amazing flower displays…without the crowds! Ni-no-Maru is part of the Imperial Palace East Gardens, and although there are finer and larger gardens to visit most of the year, you will never forget it your whole life long if you see it in April, which the azaleas are in bloom! I didn’t discover this hidden gemContinueContinue reading “Ni-no-Maru Imperial Gardens”
Roppongi Area
Roppongi is best known for sketchy nightlife, but it also offers a couple of provocative museums, a must-see art night, cherry blossoms from mid-March to mid-April, a fine display of koi nobori carp flags from mid-April to May 5th, and some of the best winter illuminations in Tokyo from late November through December. Most visitorsContinueContinue reading “Roppongi Area”
Kamiyacho Area
Kamiyacho is home to Tokyo Tower, an ancient temple with hundreds of cheerful Jizo figures holding spinning pinwheels, and the must-see TeamLab Borderless digital wonderland. If you see nothing else while you’re in Tokyo, see the Borderless immersive digital environment. It’s truly a world without horizons, constantly changing and unfolding around you. From interactive waterfalls…ContinueContinue reading “Kamiyacho Area”
Kameido Tenjin Shrine
For centuries, this shrine has been so famous for its wisteria that Hiroshige featured it in his “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” woodblock prints. Best times to visit are January for the Bullfinch Festival, mid-February to early March for plum blossoms, late April to early May for the grand wisteria, and November to seeContinueContinue reading “Kameido Tenjin Shrine”
Yanaka Area
Cats are the unofficial mascot of Yanaka, one of the quirkiest (and undiscovered) Old Tokyo neighborhoods. It’s filled with traditional shops, shrines and temples, and is a must-visit in April, when the Nezu Shrine’s can’t-believe-your-eyes azaleas are in bloom. The shrine also puts on a lively celebration of New Year’s in January, and celebrates theContinueContinue reading “Yanaka Area”
Shinjuku Area
Shinjuku is a neighborhood of contrasts, from the neon glow of the Kabukichō red light district on one hand, to the serene treescape and floral wonderland of Shinjuku Gyō-en National Garden on the other. The garden is especially worth a visit in February for the plum blossoms, mid-March through mid-April for every variety of cherryContinueContinue reading “Shinjuku Area”
Kamakura Day Trip
Kamakura is so close, it’s practically in Tokyo, and there’s no better day trip than seeing some of the most entertaining and unique shrines and temples in the country, all in one place. It’s especially excellent in late March – early April for the cherry blossom promenade down the center of town, in June forContinueContinue reading “Kamakura Day Trip”
Where to see the best cherry blossoms in Tokyo
Cherry blossoms at the Imperial Palace Chidorigafuchi Moat Map to all Cherry Blossom Spots First of all, what kind of cherry blossoms do you want to see? They bloom in four waves of different varieties, starting in mid-March with the dark pink kanzakura… Early-blooming cherries at Shinjuku Gyō-en then the weeping varieties bloom from mid-MarchContinueContinue reading “Where to see the best cherry blossoms in Tokyo”
Yamatane Museum
“Autumn Colors” by Kaii Higashiyama, photo courtesy of Google Art & Culture This is the place to see masterpieces of Japanese nihonga painting, from venerable to contemporary. Their collection of works painted with powdered gemstones is first-rate, and they curate shows that are both enlightening and enjoyable. Visit in March and April for their annualContinueContinue reading “Yamatane Museum”
Sato Sakura Museum
“Sakura River” by Ryo Date This museum doesn’t just collect works painted with powdered gemstones in traditional Japanese nihonga style, they commission new works too! It’s an especially excellent stop in late March to early April, when the cherry blossoms are blooming along the Meguro River outside the door. Situated just a block from theContinueContinue reading “Sato Sakura Museum”
Monzen-Nakachō Area
(Photo courtesy of Narita-san Fukakgawa Fudo temple website) The Monzen-Nakacho area isn’t mentioned on many must-go lists because most visitors don’t know about the neighborhood’s highly entertaining temple, the shrine that’s the birthplace of sumo wrestling, and (in late March to early April) one of the best hidden cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. This isContinueContinue reading “Monzen-Nakachō Area”
Showa Kinen Park
The journey out to Tachikawa Station to see Showa Kinen Park is well worth it, especially if you’ve got kids. There are many huge (and unique!) playgrounds, kilometers of bike paths, boat rentals, swimming pools, a Japanese garden with a bonsai collection, and the biggest flower displays in Tokyo. Especially worth seeing are the cherryContinueContinue reading “Showa Kinen Park”
Rikugi-en Garden
Serene in every season If you’re looking for the most Japanese garden of all time, that garden would be Rikugi-en. It not only has gorgeous views around every turn, it’s huge. Especially good times to visit are March for the weeping cherry tree, April for the azalea mountain, and November for the leaves. Rikugi-en isContinueContinue reading “Rikugi-en Garden”
Kudanshita Area
Kudanshita is home to the astonishing cherry blossom display at the Imperial Palace moat, as well as an annual amateur sumo tournament, a WWII museum like no other on earth, and Tokyo’s most controversial shrine. Don’t miss being in Kudanshita for: New Year’s festivities, the annual amateur sumo tournament at the beginning of April, cherryContinueContinue reading “Kudanshita Area”
Hama-Rikyu Teien Garden
This garden is huge, with a teahouse on the big pond’s island where you can enjoy a bowl of tea. It’s a great place to visit any time of year, but especially eyepopping in February when the plum grove is in bloom, and in late March to early April for the cherry blossoms. Peonies andContinueContinue reading “Hama-Rikyu Teien Garden”
Kyū Shiba-Rikyu Garden
This garden isn’t huge, but it’s choice. In any season, it’s one of the best places to take photos showing ancient and modern side by side in Japan, but it’s especially known for its plum blossoms in late February to early March, and its wisteria in late April to early May. Kyū Shiba-Rikyu Garden isContinueContinue reading “Kyū Shiba-Rikyu Garden”
Jindai Botanical Gardens
This garden isn’t just beautifully designed for strolling, its flower displays in every season rival the cherry blossoms for sheer WOW. It’s most famous for the plum grove that begins to bloom in February, the cherry blossoms in March, its incredible display of azaleas in April, its wisteria in late April to early May, andContinueContinue reading “Jindai Botanical Gardens”
Asakusa Area
The Kaminari-mon (Thunder Gate) – gateway to Senso-ji temple and the Nakamise-dori shopping street This is where I take people on their first day in Tokyo. It’s everything you think Japan should be – traditional festivals, a secret garden, temples & more. It’s also a great place to see the big festivals during pretty muchContinueContinue reading “Asakusa Area”
Nezu Shrine
The Nezu Shrine is a great place to see a pristine red and gold Shintō shrine and experience a lively celebration of New Year’s in January, as well as brilliant autumn leaves in November. What it’s most famous for, though, is its can’t-believe-your-eyes azalea display in April. Come for the beautiful red and gold shrine,ContinueContinue reading “Nezu Shrine”
Yasukuni Shrine
The shrine with a sumo ring! The most controversial shrine in Tokyo, the Yasukuni Shrine hosts festivals with all the trimmings in January, April, July and October. It’s also got a fascinating WWII museum, a lovely garden and an outdoor sumo amphitheater. This is a gorgeous, lively, maddeningly nationalistic, must-see Imperial shrine. Like the MeijiContinueContinue reading “Yasukuni Shrine”
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 