In comments on my previous post, people seemed interested in “Yozakura” or night hanami. Viewing cherry blossoms at night can be a nice evening outing and also a good contrast to cherry blossom viewing in the daytime.
There are tons of places, and if you stay in a hotel, I’m sure the staff can guide you to a local spot nearby, but here are five of the more famous places in Tokyo proper where the night sakura is famous.
Some of the famous spots around the Tokyo area are:
Chidorigafuchi Park
Famous for both day and night viewing. It’s easily accessible and near the top of many lists of traditional cherry blossom parks. Located at the northeastern part of the moat around the Imperial Castle, you can just guess how nice (and crowded) this place might be. It is worth fighting through the crowds, though.
Yasukuni Shrine
Both famous and infamous, Yasukuni Shrine is a well-known spot for both day and night cherry blossom viewing.
Roppongi Hills Mori Garden
Scheduled to be lit up from 5:30 to 10:30 during when the blossoms are in bloom, this is another place well known for both day and night.
Sumida Park
This is the first choice for many hanami enthusiasts. Conveniently located in Asakusa, Sumida Park has cherry blossoms along both sides of the famous Sumida River running through it. Travelers in Tokyo are bound to want to visit Asakusa anyway making this a great choice for efficient vacationing.
Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Park)
Also conveniently located, and a first choice for many people, Ueno Park is a great place to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. I’ve seen some gorgeous photos of night cherry blossoms in Ueno Park, but have never personally had the pleasure.
This is only a few of the choices that Tokyo offers for night viewing of cherry blossoms, but please don’t limit yourself to these. Some of the best places remain secrets while the larger ones get crowded. Small parks or other places off the beaten track can be great places to enjoy some quiet time and take pictures without the hustle and bustle of the places listed above.
*If you are going to be in Kansai, please check out my post on the best cherry blossom viewing around Kobe.
I am going to be in Tokyo March 20-30 and have been getting super excited reading your two posts. We are planning on having a Hanami since we are visiting local friends. Are there ever food and drink stands in these spots like at festivals?
A lot of parks will have festivals going on around that time, and Sundays are good days for food stands (but also crowds). People also often hit a convenience store on the way for good stuff to bring to the park. Also, a good tarp or picnic blanket goes a long way… even in parks, benches (like sidewalks) are not a given in Japan.
Hi! Any recommended date to visit japan, especially Tokyo and Kyoto, for Cherry Blossom this year? Thanks.