Yoyogi Park - End of Pink

The sakura leaves have started to fall now, streets are turning pink, and the sky is swirling with tender pedals of blush.

I've taken to running the Meguro River route most days so I can enjoy the season right down to the last pedal.  It's like being showered with love. 

It's so beautiful, but kind of heartbreaking in a way, because it means the life of the sakura is ending.  In Japanese it's called Hana Fubuki (flower snowfall).  

Meguro River Bloom - just starting to fall.

Note the streams of pink in the water.

Petals on the water, like years of my life floating away.

Petals on the path of life.

Treasuring this.

Even Arisugawa park, where I walk Ranger every day, is filled with the last magic of the season.

Weeping cherry tree over the pond.

I couldn't resist this shot of these old guys fishing.  

They're there almost every day now since Spring has broke.

And the turtles are back.

Russell and I packed the picnic backpack one more time, called our fellow Hanamist, Nancy, and headed off to Yoyogi Park.  We weren't the only ones.  It was only Tuesday but apparently, everyone wanted to savor the  season too.

First we had lunch in Harujuku.  It's always entertaining.

Ranger would eat this for lunch.

Loved this Nike Run ad.

I wonder if it comes in a t-shirt?

The park was packed.  But unlike Ueno and some of the other locations we had Hanamied at, this one was filled with young people. Makes sense; it is near Harujuku.

Packed with people under thirty.

Hey! How'd we get in here?

Tarp city.

There were gigantic mountains of trash left over from the weekend.  The Japanese are usually so tidy.  But Nancy pointed out, "Imagine what this place would look like in America."  Point taken.  There were multiple trash trucks working diligently to haul away the party debris.

But clearly the party wasn't over.  We saw sophisticated salary men bringing in boxes of provisions, including tapped kegs.  Now, we're talking!

We were lucky enough to find a semi-secluded place, away from the trash, and the twenty-somethings.
Petals fluttered down in graceful loops from the trees above, while we savored rose wine, and the end of the season, beneath.

It's been a glorious season.

Thank you Japan.

And just think, Summer is on its way.

River and Garden Tour - Hanami Like You Mean It

Allegedly, one of the best ways to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo, the Sakura guides said, was to see them from a boat on the river.  You start at the detached garden, Hamarikyu, then take a boat up the Sumida River to Asakusa.  Yeah, yeah. 

We usually do this route when we want to have tea at the Conrad Hotel, which is across the street from the Detached Garden.  A great experience by the way.

So in our ongoing Hanami quest, we packed a picnic, and some rose, and headed to Hamarikyu.  Truth be told, there weren't that many cherry trees, and the best ones were at the entrance.

Cherry trees at the entrance across the street from the Conrad Hotel.

But I did like their sign.  Apparently they take Hanami here very seriously, in the more traditional sense. In the traditional sense you're supposed to sit under the cherry trees and reflect upon the fleetingness of life and resolve yourself to treasure what time you have here on earth to the fullest.  

We do that too.  We just do it with rose and tonkatsu finger sandwiches.  What's wrong with that?!

What I like about this sign is you're not allowed to make any noise.

What about breathing?

Even though there wasn't the cataclysmic spectacle of hundreds of cherry trees blossoming at once like we had seen in Chidorigafuchi or Meguro, the carefully placed cherry trees around the sparkling pond with the Tokyo metropolis in the background was inspiring.  I love Hamarikyu exactly for this reason - the juxtaposition of ancient and new - 17th century Shogun garden in front of 21st century city.

This cherry tree is probably older than America.

Nice

And of course the garden itself is always beautiful.  Unfortunately, they were overhauling the tea house, which is usually one of the most picturesque sights in the park.  Oh well.  They still had the requisite arched oriental bridge to admire.

Gotta have the bridge.

We selected a picnic spot close to the prettiest blossoming cherry tree in the park.  It was a great spot for Hanami and an even better spot for people watching.  

Our tree.

Love the dappling.

Hey Russell. If you look over there, there's a cherry tree.

This way I can pour the rest of the rose into my glass without you knowing.

My view, looking directly up from our tarp.

Ok, time to go.

From our picnic spot we walked to the boat ramp and the park and waited, along with two hundred other people, for the Sumida River boat.  We've been on this ride several times, but never during cherry blossom season.  Usually we marvel at the bridges, everyone is different, but this time we marveled at the trees.

Ok, that's nice.

Pretty.

They seemed to go on forever.

When we got close to Asakusa the new Tokyo Sky Tree came into view.  We've been watching it being built since we moved here.  It opens officially this May. It's the highest tower in the world, until China builds a new one.

You know this is going to be a standard postcard in the near future.

Asakusa was crowded as usual, and even more so along the river, because the entire riverside park was covered in frothy pink cherry blossoms.  It reminded me of the Sumida River Fireworks.  Not a single space near the river was un-tarped and it wasn't even the weekend.  Salarymen were laughing and drinking beneath the trees. It was a happy sight.

Suddenly I had a craving for sakura ice cream.  The Hanami continues....

Only the walkway was un-tarped.

Light filtering through the blossoms.

Enjoy it while you can.

Chidorigafuchi - Pink Haze

So far our Hanami experiences have been outstanding: the food and drink great, the blossoms sublime, the weather cooperative, and just enough people to make the occasion festive but not enough to be irritating, until Chidorigafuchi.

Chidorigafuchi is heralded as one of the best spots to see the cherry blossoms.  Saturday we found out why.  Technically Chidorigafuchi is a park situated on one of the moats surrounding the Imperial Palace.   It's also a national cemetery.  

We thought we'd be smart and take the Hibaya line to Hibaya station and walk from there. Not smart.  Chidorigafuchi is located at the furthest North-west point of the palace grounds.  It took 45 minutes to walk there with barely a cherry blossom in sight.  I did notice, however, there were actually cherry trees but they weren't in bloom yet.  Note to self: maybe good for later in the season.

And then we turned the corner and saw the tell tell signs of pink clouds in the distance, and the line.  There must have been a million people there, easy.  It was crazy crowded and we hadn't actually crossed over to Chidorigafuchi yet.  We were still around the Imperial Palace.

We kept noticing people on the opposite side of the street, walking along the ridge line and taking pictures. We wondered what they were looking at.  There were no crosswalks to cross the street and traffic was worse than a Madonna concert, so we had to keep going until we finally reached the furthest corner of the Palace grounds.

Ok, this is nice.  But what's all the fuss about?

This is pretty too.

I especially love the bamboo fence line.

And then we crossed the street and beheld what everybody was looking at.  Oh, now I get it.  Wow!

Wow!

There were no tarps laid out under the cherry trees.  That was not allowed.  There was no room for Hanami here.  There were just hundreds of thousands of Japanese, armed with cameras, stopping every few feet to take another shot of the glorious sakura-scape.   The trees had industrial strength lights beneath them, so clearly the place was a spot for Yozakura (night viewing).  It must be spectacular.  I have to admit, even in the daylight it was dreamy.  

Soon we succumbed into a blossom-addicted stupor.  Soon we plodded along, zombie like, shuffling slowly, monotonously with the crowd, shoulders touching strangers, ambling towards the metro station.  It took an hour to get there.  But we were so overcome by the majesty of the view, we hardly noticed.  "This is good stuff, really good stuff" we mumbled over and over, like the sakura crack addicts we had become.

Caution - addictive.

Take another look at your own risk.

We needed food and neon lights to shock us out of our chimera.  So of course we headed to the Ginza, thinking it wouldn't be crowded because clearly everybody in Tokyo was here.  Apparently not everybody.  

The Ginza was crowded as ever.  After we did the gaijin dining shuffle, that is, walk into as many restaurants as necessary until one of them finally agreed to serve us, we dined on a set menu of sushi.  It was good.  I've never had sushi in Tokyo that wasn't superb.  The Suntory Highball helped aid our digestion.

Then we walked around the Ginza for a while in a daze.  Easter was that Sunday and we were hoping to find an Easter basket, or at the very least, a couple of chocolate eggs.  The Japanese don't celebrate Easter, certainly not the religious kind, but they usually observe the capitalistic kind.  I had spotted an Easter basket almost a month ago at a candy/bakery in Ebisu, but like everything else in Tokyo, it's seasonal and gone quickly.  I saw Valentine's chocolates at the end of January, when I went back two weeks later, they were already gone.  

We were starting to get dejected, coming down roughly from the sakura high.  The jonesing had begun.  I guess the Easter bunny wouldn't be coming to our house this year.  Sigh.

And then we saw it. 

I had to blink twice to see if it was really true.  Could it be? Could it be?

No way!

There is a God!

See's Candies!!!!  I heard a rumor there was a store in Tokyo somewhere but I didn't really believe it, the same way I heard there were 15 kinds of Kit Kats, but I've only seen about six.  

But there it was, and more importantly, it was open.  We rushed inside.  I was so excited.  

They gave us a sample, like they do in the states.  They had Easter themed candies, pre-made boxes and fresh pieces you could select out of the case, just like in California.  They didn't carry all the pieces but a lot of my favorites were there, except marzipan.  That's ok. I can work with this.

We bought two chocolate bunnies (milk chocolate for Russell, dark for me) and a one half pound custom box of chocolates.  It was going to be a great Easter and it only cost $65 USD.   $65 USD!!!!!  That's at least three times the cost in the states.  Yikes! I suddenly felt guilty spending that much money on chocolate.

"Of course it is," Russell stated matter-of-factly, "they flew them in this morning."

"First class, apparently," I muttered, the shock melting away to a deliriously happy smile as he handed me the precious, expensive bag.  

Easter heaven

Shinjuku Sakura

This time we did Hanami (cherry blossom viewing party) right.  We're getting quite good at this.

First, we went to Mistukoshi and bought bags of those just made delicacies we always pass by but never have occasion to purchase.  The food stores in the basement of major Tokyo department stores are a picnickers paradise. They remind me of the food halls of Harrod's in London.  They're not as grand, but probably fresher.  Fresh made tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet with finely shredded cabbage and sweet sauce), just steamed shumai with dipping sauce, handmade noodles, roasted, sliced duck, two salads (shrimp and  octopus), a variety of desserts: sakura cake (of course), Taiyaki (fish shaped cakes stuffed with cream custard - Russell is addicted to these), freshly baked almond danish, a virtual cornucopia of tastes.

Second, we brought a friend, Nancy.

Third, we chose a great location: Shinjuku Park, best picnicking spot in Tokyo.

Fourth, we brought a tarp, although ours isn't blue.  It's from Better Homes and Gardens or as I like to call them, "Better Homes & Garbage."

Last, but not least, we brought lots of wine.  Yes, the park signs warned against bringing alcohol into the park.  Yes, they checked our bags at the entrance but didn't pull out either bottle.  They weren't cleverly hidden either.  Yes, there were temporary "No Alcoholic Beverage" signs posted every hundred yards.  But we made sure to sit as far away as possible from them.  No one bothered us and we weren't the only ones drinking.  The police seemed more interested in directing visitors to the best cherry trees, than enforcing the no drinking rules.  We were fine with that and finished off two bottles.

The park was crowded with sakura revelers, but not nearly as crowded as it would be that weekend.  We were there on Friday and the weather was perfect.   The blossoms were at about 80% I'd say.

Shinjuku Park is very large, with an expansive grassy area, flanked by cherry trees.  It also has a sycamore forest which is spectacular in the Fall, and a couple of glossy, koi inhabited ponds, with the requisite gently arching Japanese bridges, of course.  

Have friend will Hanami.

Picnic area framed with blossoming cherry trees.

The carnage.

Do you think he has any idea what his shirt says?

Do you think his parents do?

After the picnic we walked through the park admiring the well planned landscaping.  So did everyone else.

Weeping cherry tree - I LOVE these!

Now how do I get all these people out of the picture.

Do they have a "cut people out"option in photo shop?

Pretty in pink.

Life imitating art; art imitating life.

Yeah, this don't suck.

Requisite oriental bridge over water.

Sigh, so beautiful.

Under the canopy.

Cascading blossoms.

On the way back we saw this.  Sell out!  Richard Gere Hawking Orangina.  What the?....  Did I drink too much wine.

Naka Meguro - Feels Like Disney

After our first "Hanami" (cherry blossom viewing party) experience in Ueno Park, we pretty much decided to become professional Hanamist.  I created a list of the best places to view the cherry blossoms in Tokyo and roughly sketched out our plan of attack for the week.  

One of the highlights noted in several of the guides I referenced was Yozakura, or night viewing of the sakura.  The Meguro River was one of the places touted as having good Yozakura.  It's also happens to be one of my running routes.  

So in the morning, on my run, I scouted the location.  Uh, yeah, this will work I thought as my steps seemed to lighten, and my stride glide, under the cascading cherry blossoms.  This is beautiful and the trees weren't even at 100% bloom yet.

Wow!

Running is a lot easier in pink heaven.

I mean under the cherry blossoms.

That night Russell and I ventured out to Naka-Meguro not knowing what to expect.  It was ridiculously beautiful.  Japanese lanterns lit each side of the cherry tree lined river.  The billowy blossoms were up-lit, the pink petals shimmering against the water below.  The pictures I took did not do the landscape justice.  I guess some things are best seen through the heart.

Luminescent lanterns strewn amongst the sakura

Up lit sakura casting its spell.

It was a carnival atmosphere.  Shops and restaurants along the river had set up temporary bars and food stands.  Even private residences and hair salons were pouring drinks and peddling homemade food along the path.  Everyone was in a great mood, smiling and laughing.  Couples walked hand in hand.  Perhaps the fact most of the crowd, including us, was sipping some sort of frothy, sakura themed beverage, may have helped.  I, myself, sipped on sakura sparkling wine, while Russell, get this, drank from a bottle of Pink Zima.  Yes, Zima. Yes, pink.  If our friends could see us now, I quipped blithely.

Enterprising young men selling beer and homemade stew riverside.

The candles were an especially nice touch.

Taco stand, yes taco.

Russell and I were giddy with pleasure.  We literally felt like skipping.  At any moment, I expected a Disney musical to break out.  Hell, I felt like singing.  It was so magical.  

Russell, giddy, about to belt out the "Happy Working Song"

View of the river from one of the many bridges.

I wish my camera could really capture this the way we experienced it.

The river below

All the giddyness, or maybe the Zima, made us hungry so we went back towards the train station and looked for a sushi restaurant.  We found a gem.  Unfortunately we can't read Japanese, so even though we took a card, I have no idea what it says.  I literally wrote notes on the location so we can find it again because this is the kind of place you crave afterwards.

The place was tiny and old.  At first I thought maybe this wasn't such a good idea.  There was an ancient TV mounted in the corner playing the Lion King in Japanese and a sushi bar that only sat about ten people.  The whole joint seemed to have a brownish patina cast upon it from years of smoke.  But polaroids adorned the cluttered walls and the folks in them were smiling and happy.  Plus there were shelves of half drunk sake bottles adorned with the names of their patrons who would be back to drink the rest.  I took that as a good sign.  I'm so glad we stayed.

There were only two customers in the restaurant, salary men.  It turns out one spoke English, pretty well actually.  He translated when the owner told Russell in fast, rambunctious Japanese, this was a non-traditional sushi restaurant, which meant you don't put soy sauce on your sushi.  Russell stopped the soy mid-stream with a startled look on his face.  OK.

What followed were ten courses of the most inventive, succulent, deliciousness ever.  I'm craving this place already.  

Oldie but a goody!

Note the soccer calendar, plastic hangars and leis.

Appetiser plate:  soy beans, homemade tofu (yummy) and smoked fish.

Shrimp and halibut seared in hot olive oil.

OMG Amazing!

This was my favorite dish.  Salmon with a fried quail egg on top and special sauce.  

It tasted like the most exquisite eggs benedict ever!

White fish with a black sesame sauce.  

So creamy.

Uh yeah, that's cheese being melted over avocado

 on sushi rice with hot garlic sauce.

Need I say more?

Fish steamed in paper and sea salt with lemon.

Melted in my mouth like butter.

Dessert: Hagen daz vanilla ice cream and blow-torched mango 

on top of sushi with a creamy, sweet cheese sauce.

Is tomorrow too soon to come back?