Winter is a good time for planning a springtime trip! It's no secret that many tourists try to see the most iconic season of Japan – blooming sakura, or hanami season. The season is very popular not only for tourists from other countries, but for Japanese people as well. I was surprised by the massive celebrations, particularly at Ueno Park in Tokyo! Although many wonderful sakura blossoms were overhead, I felt uncomfortable being among large crowds. I found much more pleasure in the sight of sakura at quiet places where I could walk freely or sit under a tree…
Quiet places to enjoy sakura can be found in small towns or in the countryside. The best experience I had was spent walking along the streets of Yudanaka Onsen lined with sakura trees. Those were old trees with thick, knotted trunks and branches, and to see tender white flowers on them was like a miracle! A few times I sat down under sakura trees and enjoyed the sight of flowers moving in the wind with nobody else around. I found similar quiet spots in Azumino and the Nagano countryside.
Even in popular places it’s possible to avoid a crowd if you visit a park early in the morning, late in the evening, or on a rainy day. Once I visited Koganei Park in Tokyo close to dusk and experienced how wonderful the park was with a lot of sakura trees. There was plenty of space for picnics, and wooden tables with benches. The view was just wonderful and reminded me of a snowy view…
Some more nice spots were at the riverside park in Hiroshima, Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka, and Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, but early in the morning.
If you dare to walk on a rainy day, you can enjoy wonderful views of weeping sakura just for you alone! I love to walk on rainy days and think that gardens are even more beautiful in the rain.
