Sprawling over approximately 61 hectares, the spacious Toneri Park is blessed with both water and greenery and boasts approximately 1,000 cherry trees including the Reagan Sakura Cherry Tree, a Yoshino cherry tree gifted by former US First Lady Nancy Reagan, and Asahi Square provides unbroken views of the delicate pale-pink cherry blossoms when the trees are in bloom. The 10th Anniversary of the Nippori-toneri Liner and Toneri Park One-Thousand Cherry Trees Festival will be held on April 7 and 8. Food and product stalls, concerts, and various other events will further enliven the flower-viewing atmosphere.
Designated as a National Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a Special Historic Site, these gardens have approximately 100 cherry trees. The Yoshino cherry trees around the central bridge can be enjoyed together with the saltwater tidal pond landscape, which transforms with the ebb and flow of the tides. After the Yoshino cherry blossoms have fallen, the Yaezakura cherry blossoms take their turn, and sometimes it is also possible to catch the rare sight of cherry trees with yellow or green flowers.
In Sumida Park it is possible to enjoy flower viewing on either side of the Sumida River. Another attraction of the park is the opportunities it provides for snapping photos with cherry blossoms and the TOKYO SKYTREE. From late March until early April, the Sumida Park Cherry Blossom Festival is held on the Taito City side, while the riverside cherry trees are illuminated until 21:30 for visitors to enjoy nighttime flower viewing during the Bokutei Cherry Blossom Festival, held on the Sumida City side.
You can enjoy the approximately 260 cherry trees growing along the greenway around the Chidorigafuchi moat on the western side of the Imperial Palace, including the Yoshino and Oshimazakura varieties. The Chiyoda Cherry Blossom Festival is timed to coincide with the cherry blossoms’ flowering beginning in late March. The cherry trees are illuminated with LED lights, and by taking a trip on a night-operating sightseeing boat, you can enjoy this fantastical scene from on the water.
Photograph courtesy of the Chiyoda City Tourism Association
A multitude of 800 Yoshino cherry trees bloom proudly along an approximately 4-km stretch of the Meguro River. On the upstream side between Ohashi Bridge and Hinodebashi Bridge, the cherry trees’ blossom-ladened branches cover the river, while downstream between Dengakubashi Bridge and Taikobashi Bridge are walking paths where you can enjoy flower viewing as you take a leisurely stroll. The streets around the Meguro River are lined with unique shops and eateries, so you can also enjoy shopping as you enjoy your flower viewing.
Along the banks of the Sumida River flowing through Ogunohara Park, 221 weeping cherry trees of 4 varieties, including Benishidare cherry trees with deep-pink blossoms and weeping japanese cherry trees, burst into flower come springtime. The 15th Ogunohara Park Weeping Cherry Festival is on April 7 and will feature various stalls, stage shows, performances by street performers, and many other events to enjoy.
This historical park began during the Edo Period (1603–1868) when the 8th Shogun, Yoshimune Tokugawa, planted cherry trees on the site to create a public recreation area. Approximately 600 cherry trees—mainly Yoshino cherry trees but also including other varieties such as Satozakura and Kanzan—can be seen in full bloom in early spring, a sight that can also be enjoyed from the Tokyo Sakura Tram, which runs alongside the park grounds. The Sakura SAKASO Matsuri will be held at the park on March 31 and April 1.
Located in the area where the Yoshino Cherry (known also as Somei-Yoshino) variety was born, the Somei Cemetery is home to approximately 100 cherry trees—including some very old trees—that burst into bloom every spring. The cherry trees in front of the cemetery office are illuminated at nighttime from March 25 to April 8. On March 21, the nearby Somei-Ginza Shopping Street celebrates the Somei Cherry Blossom Flowering Festival where branches of early-blossoming cherry trees are displayed and cherry tree seedlings/saplings are distributed free of charge along the shopping street.
For a distance of about 2 km, between Edogawa Park and near Takadanobaba, Yoshino cherry trees growing on both banks of the Kanda River appear to blanket the river in blossoms, the surface of the river beautifully dyed in delicate cherry-blossom pink. The area around Omokagebashi Station is a popular photography spot for capturing images of the Tokyo Sakura Tram against a cherry blossom background. The cherry trees are also illuminated from late March until mid-April.
