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!”
Tag Archives: cherry blossom
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 