Cherry blossom, done well

花見を上手にはなみをじょうずに

Seasonal · Nature · Photogenic · Free

The blossom lasts about ten days from the last week of March, and the city has three ways to see it: the party (Ueno Park, with tarpaulins and beer from dawn), the promenade (the Meguro river at night under lanterns, Chidorigafuchi's moat by rowing boat) and the garden (Shinjuku Gyoen, where alcohol is banned and the lawns are silent under two thousand trees). Do all three; the garden at opening time on a weekday is the one that stays with you.

How to arrange it: Watch the forecast from early March and plan the garden morning for the day after "full bloom" is announced.
Price band: ¥
Allow: 180 min
Where: Shinjuku, Ueno & Yanaka, Nakameguro, Daikanyama & Ebisu, Marunouchi & Tokyo Station

Where to book it

Shinjuku

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

新宿御苑

¥ · 120 min · English: yes

A former imperial garden combining Japanese, French formal and English landscape styles in one enclosed park, which spreads its cherry varieties across weeks rather than one narrow peak weekend, unlike the more crowded river and park spots nearby. As a national government-run garden it publishes its own English-language visiting information directly, rather than through a tour operator.

Named operators, each verified against its official site. We list the booking route and whether English is spoken; hours and prices live on the official site. All operators

Places

Garden Essential

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden新宿御苑

An imperial garden of English lawns, French avenues and a Japanese pond — the finest cherry blossom and autumn colour in Tokyo.

120 min · Shinjuku-gyoemmae (Marunouchi line), 5 minutes; Shinjuku, 10 minutes

Park Essential

Ueno Park and Shinobazu Pond上野公園と不忍池

Japan's first public park — the cherry avenue, the lotus pond, a Toshogu shrine in gold, and a zoo.

90 min · Ueno (JR / Ginza / Hibiya lines), park exit

On the water Essential

The Meguro River cherry trees目黒川の桜

Eight hundred cherry trees leaning over a canal for four kilometres — pink by day, lantern-lit by night, for ten days a year.

90 min · Nakameguro (Hibiya line, Tokyu Toyoko), 2 minutes

Garden Essential

Imperial Palace East Gardens皇居東御苑

The site of Edo Castle — the great keep's stone base, the moats, and a garden open free to anyone who walks in.

90 min · Otemachi (five subway lines), exit C13a, straight to the Otemon gate