Tokyo may be known for its fast-paced energy, but once a year its inhabitants wind down to casually gaze at trees. Yes, really. The city’s cherry blossom season is generally between March and April, and is celebrated with hanami (literally ‘flower viewing’).
A simple way to celebrate is by strolling one of the city’s blooming parks. But some take it rather more seriously. In the early hours of the morning throngs of nature-lovers line park gates, desperate to reserve an optimal picnic spot under the blossom. To others, hanami is an excuse to get romantic and a quirky way to do this is to hire a rowing boat at Chidorigafuchi, the North-Eastern moat of the Imperial Palace.
However you experience hanami, though, it’s a unique chance for bustling Tokyo to surprise you with its capacity for a genuinely soothing and serene experience.
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