Post Updated (from 1st April): Ueno koen hanami photo gallery
Can you imagine Shinjuku station full of blooming sakura with the lights turned off? That’s how I’d describe the scene at Ueno park on the 1st of April.
Ueno is one of the most famous hanami spots in Tokyo and I can understand why. There are countless sakura trees lining the paths. Under the trees are hundreds of people sitting on hundreds of sheets (I wish they were a more natural colour rather than a garious blue) eating and drinking. Some people go as far as bringing chairs and tables! By the time it’s dark you can hardly walk in a straight line for all the people milling around. Everywhere you look people are pointing keitais, compact cameras and SLRs at the cherry blossoms ovehead.
Descend a flight of steps and there’s a path leading out into a lake and at the end of the path is a shrine. Matsuri stalls line the path selling everything from yaki-soba to tako-yaki.
I absolutely agree. Ueno is one of the best places in Tokyo for Hanami. Went back twice for the Hanami. Never did hanami at night though.
Tako-yaki is only good in Shinsaibashi in Osaka!
You’ve been twice?
Hanami at nighttime is great
I take it you like your tako-yaki?!
Yah ha.
1st time was to change trains at Ueno to get to Asakusa, and the 2nd time was to spend a day at the National Museum at the end of Ueno park.
Come to think of it, I might have gone back to Ueno a 3rd time just to soak in the full blooms.
This happens when a person stayed in boring Yawatajuku out in Chiba ;p