Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 57

Hanami After Dark! My Favorite Places To See Cherry Blossoms Lit Up At Night

 

You can see why the Meguro River is no longer an undiscovered jewel of cherry blossom season…

Oh no, don’t think you can put your feet up and flip some channels after the sun goes down during cherry blossom season – thanks to the current craze for “illuminations,” the ogling opportunities will seriously cut into your TV time.

Here are my favorite nighttime viewing spots. Get thee to the nearest grove and give your camera a workout!

MEGURO RIVER, NAKAMEGURO

At twilight, it’s especially great. Crowds are smaller too.

Lanterns are strung in the trees all along the Meguro River.

This place is no longer undiscovered, but the upside of the crowds is that the paths are now lined with food stands and places to buy libations (mostly beer and champagne).

Entrance fee: Free

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IMPERIAL PALACE MOAT

Nice of those people to stand in line for hours and pay a ton of money so we could take pictures of them on the moat.

You can see Tokyo Tower from a spot at the Kudanshita end of the moat, if you can crane your neck past the giant scrum of photographers.

For sheer blossom tonnage, nothing beats the Imperial Palace moat. Start at Kudanshita Station and follow it around the corner to the end where they rent the boats. If you absolutely must row around with the drunken mariners down below, plan to get in line hours before you hope to be down on the water.

Entrance fee: Free

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RIKUGI-EN GARDEN, KOMAGOME

This tree never disappoints. It takes over your camera like some kid of poltergeist, and when you get home, you discover that somehow you have 612 shots of ONE TREE.

The Famous Cherry, seen across the pond from The Famous Pine.

Rikugi-en Garden stays open until 9:00 p.m. for a week during cherry blossom season, so people can get their Famous Cherry Tree fix for the year. There aren’t a ton of cherry trees at this garden, but the the ones they have are pretty choice. They light up the rest of the garden too, so you can stroll around and enjoy the shapely pines and Japanese maples. Oh, and lest I forget: even if you hate cherry trees, come for the miso dango.

Entrance fee: ¥300

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MONZEN NAKACHO

Lanterns line the path along the nicely narrow river near Monzen Nakacho station.

Further along the river, cherry trees spill over both sides of the banks.

Nobody ever goes to Monzen Nakacho. But they should. Check out how beautiful the riverside path is, all lit up with lanterns for the locals’ strolling pleasure! The lights are on from dusk to 9:00 p.m. and this obscure neighborhood is still undiscovered, so if you want to stroll far from the madding crowd and get something to eat at a nearby restaurant, this is the place to be.

Entrance fee: Free

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ROPPONGI HILLS MORI GARDEN, ROPPONGI

Okay, at the time I took this picture, I honestly didn’t register what it looked like, with those round pink trees at the base of the, er, tower.

Roppongi Hills is a demonic shopping mall that should burn in hell for wiping out whole neighborhoods, but it does have a small garden that can be quite nice during cherry blossom season. Well-lit, it’s a pretty place to get away from the 9th circle of concrete hell that is Roppongi proper.

Entrance fee: Free

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Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix. 

Cherry Blossom Flavored Ice Cream

Naturally, it being the Pink Season, all things must be as one with the almighty sakura. Including…ice cream.

And what does this marvel of food engineering taste like? Hmm, good question.  Fortunately, they did not try to reproduce the taste of traditional Japanese sakura sweets, which are sweet rice cakes jarring wrapped in salty pickled cherry leaves. Usually I’m pretty good at Guess That Flavor, but this time I can’t get any closer than it tastes like Pink.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

Hanami Blitz: My Picks For The Best Cherry Blossoms In Tokyo!

Okay, hanami warriors, it’s time to charge up your camera batteries, sharpen your elbows, and strap on your subway card, because the cherry blossoms only last a couple of days, and you’ve got serious ground to cover if you’re going to take in all my favorite viewing spots! In the past three days, I’ve been charging around Tokyo with my camera, and here are the first results…

The classics:

SHINJUKU GYOUEN

Huge stroll garden with crowds to match.Go early if you can. Many gorgeous landscapes, and huge old cherry trees all over the place.

Entrance fee: ¥200

Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Picnics/alcohol: Yes picnics/No alcohol (and they’re serious: there’s a bag check before you enter, and they’ll confiscate any booze they find.)

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MEGURO RIVER, NAKAMEGURO

The cherry trees become a cathedral of pink goodness during The Season along the Meguro River (it’s actually more of a concrete canal these days, but no matter). Come during the day, and stay until nighttime, when they light the lanterns in the trees and sell beer and food along the sidewalk.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Always open

Picnics/alcohol: Yes picnics/Yes alcohol

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CHIDORIGAFUCHI IMPERIAL PALACE MOAT, KUDANSHITA

This isn’t a place to stop and sit and picnic, but it’s a beautiful walk and the sheer size of the cherry spectacle is worth a trip.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Always open

Picnics/alcohol: No picnics/Yes alcohol

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YOYOGI PARK, HARAJUKU

Load up on beer & snacks and don your pink spandex cherry blossom costume and get thee to Yoyogi Park. On the weekends it’s wall to wall blue tarps, but on the weekdays it’s quiet and beautiful.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Sunrise to sunset

Picnics/alcohol: Yes picnics/Yes alcohol

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SUMIDA RIVER PARK, ASAKUSA

If the weather is good, this is a nice place to walk. There are food and drink stands along the way too.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Always open

Picnics/alcohol: No picnics/Yes alcohol

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MOAT OUTSIDE IMPERIAL PALACE EAST GARDEN, OTEMACHI

I find the garden itself pretty underwhelming (and it doesn’t have many cherry trees) but the moat near Otemachi station has swans and some lovely specimen trees for your picture-taking enjoyment.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours:

Picnics/alcohol: No picnics/No alcohol

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Don’t miss:

RIKUGI-EN GARDEN, KOMAGOME

This is one of my favorite gardens in Tokyo in any season, but if you come at the beginning of cherry blossom season, you can see their famous weeping cherry tree in bloom. It’s worth a trip, just for that. For one week, the garden is also open at night until 9:00, with the trees all lit up.

Entrance fee: ¥300

Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Picnics/alcohol: No picnics/No alcohol

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KOSHIKAWA KORAKU-EN GARDEN, KORAKUEN

Here’s another behemoth – this one is at Korakuen.

My absolute favorite garden in Tokyo in any season, and although they don’t have a ton of cherry trees, the ones they have are set in such lovely gardens, you’ll definitely be glad you came.

Entrance fee: ¥300

Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Picnics/alcohol: No picnics/No alcohol

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My secret viewing spots:

DENPO-IN TEMPLE GARDEN, ASAKUSA

This garden is seldom open to the public, but they open it during cherry blossom season. It’s not big, but it’s gorgeous. They have two fantastic weeping cherry trees that do not disappoint.

Entrance fee: ¥300

Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Picnics/alcohol: No picnics/No alcohol

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MONZEN NAKACHO

The river that runs through this traditional neighborhood is lined with amazing cherry trees, and they’re lit up at night too, until 9:00!

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Always open

Picnics/alcohol: Yes picnics/Yes alcohol

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STREET PARK, ASAKUSA

This jewel of a street has a stream running down the middle of it (although it doesn’t always have water in it) and during cherry blossom season it becomes a bower of white. This is a great place to bring your lunch and rest your feet, in the middle of Asakusa.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Always open

Picnics/alcohol: Yes picnics/Yes alcohol

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SKYTREE PARK, AZUMABASHI

Just across the bridge from Asakusa on the way to Skytree is a lovely garden that is packed with cherry trees and nice strolling paths.

Entrance fee: Free

Hours: Always open

Picnics/alcohol: Yes picnics/Yes alcohol

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Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

 

 

Sneakers Of Yore

If I were a samurai in the olden days, these would totally be my sneakers of choice for the cherry blossom viewing marathon. I’d stock up on those shoelaces hanging up above too.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

The Godzilla Of Cherry Trees

Don’t let this big daddy sneak up on you in the dark! In Japan they don’t mess around when it comes to cherry trees. I saw this explosion of goodness last night at Rikugi-en garden in Tokyo, where they light up the all-powerful sakura until 9:00 every night during The Season. But this one isn’t the only monster in town – in general, cherry trees here look like they’re on steroids compared to their puny ornamental cousins back where I come from.

It looks even bigger in the daytime, don’t you think?

Here’s another behemoth – this one’s at Korakuen.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

Cherry Blossom Party Costumes I Would Regret

Having a bad hair day? Put this sakura-themed bag over your head and untag yourself from the cherry blossom festivities!

The cherry trees are readying their onslaught, and it’s almost time for the annual beer-fuelled frolicking to commence. What better way to say, “I am a wild and crazy guy” than to don one of these festive pinker-than-thou costumes?

Faster than a chugging bullet! Able to leap long restroom lines with a single bound! Sakura Ranger!

Wat I don’t even.

Makes this Sakura Tuxedo look almost tasteful, doesn’t it?

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

Lost

What could possibly go wrong?

Went to robot restaurant. Missed last train. Left camera in cab. Noooo!

Although I would rather drink poisonous dried snake tea, have my feet eaten by small brown fish, or plaster my face in bee larvae than call anyone on the phone in any language, I recite my Butch Up Little Missy mantra three times, then use the phone number on the receipt to call the cab dispatcher. At midnight. In Japanese. He checks with the driver, and sure enough, (hey, it’s Japan!) it’s still in the back seat. I’m informed that I can pick it up anytime the next day at taxi headquarters. He gives me the address.

The next day, I google it. It’s in…Kamata? WhereTF is Kamata? I guess I’m about to find out.

I get on a train.

And another train.

And another train.

And the wrong train. Oops, Haneda Airport.

I get on another train.

And another train.

I walk to the little red pin on my GPS.

It’s a 7/11.

Ask 7/11 person if there’s a taxi company anywhere within the known galaxy.

Hallelujah, I don’t have to get on any more trains.

Get directions.

Walk to taxi headquarters.

Camera.

Live to fight another day.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

The Robot Restaurant

Fembots, scantily-clad taiko drummers, battling transformers…okay, I admit the Robot Restaurant is more like Vegas on steroids than ye olde Nippon, but you’ve really gotta see this extravaganza once in your life!

Even the waiting lounge is entertaining – every nook and cranny is paved with flashing lights, shiny baubles, and wall-to-wall video screens showing rather puzzling footage of scantily clad women on horses kitted out in Crusader-like draperies.

And the toilet: it does not disappoint.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

The Robot Restaurant show runs about two hours, including waiting time in the bar beforehand. I actually think they ought to put quotes around the word “restaurant,” because the rather small bento box and half bottle of tea included in the price of admission (¥5000 per person) bears about as much resemblance to a real meal as airline food, although is it marginally more edible. They also sell a limited selection of alcoholic drinks at fairly reasonable prices (¥500 for a draft beer, for example), available before the show and during. More info, and telephone number for reservations here.

The Overly Realistic Caterpillar Vending Machine

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“Ewww” is the same in any language.

I thought I’d found the oddest product you could buy from a vending machine when I spied the one selling rubber sea slugs, but I think I’m going to have to give the grand prize to the one that dispenses anatomically correct plastic caterpillars instead. These are so detailed, any one of the six horrid varieties would be enough to traumatize your sister for life.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

Neon Wonderland

Tokyo isn’t a beautiful city, except when it rains at night. Then the neon flows into the streets, brighter than liquid gold.

Shin Okubo’s main street at its most glorious

A back alley in Shin Okubo

Kabukicho buildings cast a rainbow on the street

The street flows with neon in front of Takadanobaba station

Lanterns outside a Shin Okubo restaurant

 

More pictures of Tokyo at night, in the rain: Tokyo Tower On A Rainy Night, Tokyo Streets, Shining In The Rain

More pictures of Tokyo at night: Kabuki-cho, Odaiba

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.