Tokyo, Part 2

At the end of March, we took the bullet train from Kyoto back to where we started and spent two final nights in Tokyo before flying to Portugal. Since the cherry blossom season had arrived a week early in Japan, Tokyo was in full bloom, and we were eager to see as many trees as we could in our last couple days. In Japan, the cherry blossoms are a significant, cultural event; the sakura, as it is known in Japanese, is plastered on everything as a seasonal specialty (food, beer, clothes, etc). There’s even a dedicated word for enjoying the blossoms and picnicking beneath them (“hanami”), and we were lucky enough to experience the tradition with the locals.

It’s Japan's version of our all-pumpkin-everything celebration for the arrival of fall.

Hanami & Tonkatsu

After checking into our hotel in Ginza (which was was the smallest hotel room we’ve ever stayed in!), we took the train to the Naga-Meguro neighborhood to scope out a pizza place called Seirinkan, which had been deemed one of the best pies in the world (we were ready for a break from Japanese cuisine!). Unfortunately, the rest of the world also knows about Seirinkan, and we were quickly denied a chance to dine. While debating a Plan B dinner option, Jeff led us to the river that he remembered we walked past earlier in the month, and we found quite a surprise when we arrived - there were crazy crowds near the Meguro River, walking along to see the cherry blossoms at night. The blossoms were beautiful, lit by lanterns. Everyone was out enjoying “hanami” (actually known as “yozakura” when done at night!), and there were food stands selling snacks and beers along the river.

While grabbing beers and fries, we learned from a stranger who talked to us in line that it was a special occasion because the blooms are not normally that full. They said that normally it rains and the petals fall quickly, not often reaching such a full canopy.

We were already feeling fortunate that the cherry blossoms arrived 10 days early, giving us the chance to enjoy them, but we felt even more grateful that we had the opportunity to see the beautiful canopy of blooms along the river and participate in a special tradition with the locals.

There were traffic guards pushing people to take the same route on the sidewalk, like herding cattle. The lights switched off promptly at 9pm. We were on a sakura hanami high!

After, we walked to Shibuya to have dinner at Maisen, a tonkatsu restaurant I had marked. We had a tasty tonkatsu feast, then hopped the Ginza train back to our hotel.

It was a night of magical blossoms with street food and beers at Meguro River! We were once again reminded that the some of the best nights and discoveries arrive as a result of failed plans coupled with an openness for a different path.

Hanami in Gyoen National Park

On another day, we walked to Shinjuku Gyoen National Park and enjoyed the blossoms with the locals, where many were picnicking beneath the trees. Jeff remarked that it felt like their version of Central Park with views of big buildings surrounding the green space.

Tsukiji Market & Hama-rikyu Gardens

On our last day, our flight didn’t leave until 10pm, so we had most of the day to spend in Tokyo before heading to Tokyo Station/the airport. After checking out of our hotel, we walked to Tsukiji Market, Tokyo’s famous fish market. It was crowded with tourists. We preferred the Nishiki and Omicho markets of Kyoto and Kanazawa, but still enjoyed seeing the market. We tried some snacks along the way, including eel, grilled scallops topped with uni, and tamago.

While there, Jeff wanted to have one last taste of sushi, so we found a spot that looked promising and hopped in line. It was good but couldn’t compete with what we had eaten in Kanazawa!

After, we walked to the nearby Hamarikyu Gardens to relax in the sunshine before leaving for the airport. 

We enjoyed our time in Tokyo and look forward to visiting again in the future!