Extraordinary hanami spots

With the Doll’s Festival wrapped up on March 3, the next big event to look forward to is the hanami (cherry blossom viewing). The Japan Meteorological Agency may have stopped forecasting when the sakura (cherry blossoms) will bloom, which it started doing as far back as 1955, but many private companies have stepped up to fill the void, each vying with their own original methods to make the most accurate prediction.

Weather Map, one of the leading new services, is predicting that the cherry blossoms will bloom sooner than usual: they set the date at March 23 for Tokyo (as of 12pm, March 3), with the sakura reaching their full bloom on March 31. On the other hand, the Japan Weather Association (also as of March 3) predicted they would start to blossom on March 21 and reach full bloom on March 29 – what a difference two days make.

The forecasts are frequently updated, so any hanami planning will have to happen while carefully checking which of the two will be the most accurate. But if you’re bored with seeing the same old cherry blossoms every year, Time Out has some hanami spots with a twist: ones which let you see the blossoms from a different perspective. The choice is yours: hanami from above or below?

2010 sakura blooming forecast
Weather Map: www.weathermap.co.jp/sakura/ (Japanese only)
Japan Weather Association: www.jwa.or.jp/english/

Hanami from a yakatabune pleasure boat

Floating Japanese restaurants Harumiya

Harumiya run pleasure boats – yakatabune – furnished with hori-gotatsu (heated kotatsu tables set into a recessed floor) and an observation deck. The warm kotatsu are a godsend in the often chilly hanami season. With skippers who can guide the tour in English, Harumiya is also popular with tourists. The Hanami Noriai Yakatabune route takes you on a two and a half hour cruise up the Sumida River, past the beautiful cherry blossoms lined up in Sumida Park, to the Sakura Bridge area and back. The boat anchors for about 50 minutes at the Sakura Bridge, and it’s possible to enjoy the view of the cherry blossoms on both banks of the river from the boat. An extensive full course meal - the ‘Furisode Gozen’ - is served, and includes hors d’oeuvres, an appetiser, kobachi (a small dish), sashimi, yakimono (a grilled dish), nimono (a simmered dish), agemono (a deep-fried dish), soup, a main dish, pickles and fruit. Drinks are included. Beer, saké and shochu spirits are all on offer to help you enjoy hanami in good cheer. The dates and location of the cruise can be checked on the website, and a reservation is a must.

Date: Until Sun April 11
Price: ¥10,500 (cruise, food and drink, includes tax)
　　　*Reservations for a minimum of two people
Telephone: (03)3644 1344 (reservations and enquiries)
Website: www.harumiya.co.jp/e/

Shinagawa Funasei

Among the fleet of pleasure boats Tokyo has on offer, Funasei runs the longest hanami cruise. Departing from Shinagawa, the three hour tour lets you admire the cherry blossoms along the Sumida River as you pass the Rainbow Bridge, Kachidoki Bridge, Chuo-ohashi Bridge, Eitai Bridge, Kototoi Bridge and the Sakura Bridge. Reservations for the non-chartered noriai yakatabune start at two people, and a meal which includes tempura and sushi can be enjoyed on Japanese-style tatami-style seating.

Sumida River Hanami Course
Dates: Until Sun April 11 (dates and times must be checked on the website)
Price: ¥10,500 (cruise, food and drinks, includes tax)
　　　*Reservations for a minimum of two people
Address: 1-16-8 Shinagawa, Shinagawa, Tokyo
Telephone: (03)5479 2731
Website: www.funasei.com/fsei_english.htm

Admire sakura from a water-bus

Tokyo Cruise

Tokyo Cruise operates water-buses on and around the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay area. In the sakura season, both the regular Sumida River Line cruise and the special evening Yozakura Sakura Bridge Cruise Line are running. On the regular cruise you can view the Bokutei (banks of the Sumida River) cherry blossoms – arguably the river’s most beautiful – and those near the Chuo-ohashi Bridge. The cruise goes from Asakusa to the Hamarikyu gardens and Hinode-sanbashi pier, and in the sakura season it continues further up to the Azuma Bridge. The Yozakura-bin Sakura Bridge Cruise Line route sails from Asakusa to the Sakura Bridge area. On the 45 minute cruise, not only can you enjoy the cherry blossoms, but you can also enjoy being served by ladies known as furisode-san, who wear kimono.

Tokyo Cruise: www.suijobus.co.jp/ (Japanese only)

Regular service Sumida River Line
Dates: Until Sun Apr 11
Price: One way ¥760 (60 minutes), Return ¥1,370 (120 minutes)
Time: Depends on place of departure, check the website for details

Asakusa departures: Address: 1-1-1 Hanakawado, Taito, Tokyo
Hamarikyu departures: Address: 1-1 Hamarikyu-teien, Chuo, Tokyo
Hinode-sanbashi departures: Address: 2-7-104 Kaigan, Minato, Tokyo

Yozakura Sakura Bridge Cruise Line
Dates: Until Sun April 11
Prices: Basic fare ¥1,200 (reservations for a minimum group of 15), Horoyoi set ¥2,500 (includes cruise, one drink and a light Japanese meal made by Asakusa Imahan) Reservations for a minimum of two people
Time: 6pm, 7pm and 8pm
Services may be increased, cancelled or decreased depending on the cherry blossoms.

Asakusa departures: Address: 1-1-1 Hanakawado, Taito, Tokyo

Sakura from a rowboat

Tokyo Suijo Club and Canal Café

When it opened in 1918, this was Tokyo’s first boathouse. At the time there weren’t really any recreational facilities for the general public, so Tokyo’s first mayor and grandfather of Tokyo Suijo Club's owner, Kiyoshi Furukawa suggested building a boating facility, even putting his own funds towards the project. From the boats you can see the cherry blossoms lining Sotobori-dori and the stonework remains from Edo Castle’s outer moat, as well watch the Chuo Line and Sobu Line trains pass overhead. These days the Canal Café has been added on to the dock, so it’s also possible to grab a bite to eat while you’re there. From May it will also be possible to have lunch aboard the boat.

Address: 1-9 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Telephone: (03)3260 8068
Time: 11.30am-4pm (or sunset), closed whenever the restaurant is closed, or in cases of rain or strong winds
Price: 30 minutes, ¥500 for a one or two-seater boat; ¥600 for a three-seater boat
Website: www.canalcafe.jp/ (Japanese only)

Chidorigafuchi Boat Arena

This boathouse, located in the centre of Chidorigafuchi Park, was refurbished and reopened in March 2009. Chidorigafuchi is famous for its spectacular sakura, and you can feast your eyes on around 200 somei-yoshino and yama-zakura cherry blossoms. Looking up from the boat at the flowering branches as they reach out over the moat is one of the most amazing views of the cherry blossoms Tokyo has to offer.

Address: 2 Sanbancho, Kudan-minami, Chiyoda
Price: 30 minutes, ¥500 (¥800 during the sakura season)
Open: Tue-Sun 11am-5.30pm (Mar 1-Nov 30), Mon-Sun until Thur Apr 15, closed Mon (business hours vary depending on the season)
Telephone: (03)3234 1948 (boathouse)

Inokashira Park, Inokashira Pond

This municipal park lies across both Musashino and Mitaka cities. It was planned and opened as Tokyo’s first suburban park in 1913. At the park’s centre is the Inokashira Pond, which is one of the top three spring-fed ponds in the Musashino area, along with Shakujii Pond and Zenpukiji Pond. The pond has a circumference of about 1.5km, and it is surrounded by around 250 somei-yoshino, oshima-zakura and fugenzo cherry blossom trees. The park itself is home to around 500 sakura, a beautiful sight in full bloom. In addition to rowboats, swan shaped boats and paddle boats are also on offer.

Inokashira Park Information
Address: 1-18-31 Gotenyama, Musashino, Tokyo
Telephone: (042)247 6900
Website: www.kensetsu.metro.tokyo.jp/seibuk/inokashira/ (Japanese only)

Sakura from the window of a Toden streetcar

Toden Arakawa Line

The Toden Arakawa Line runs from Waseda Station in Shinjuku ward to Minowabashi Station in Arakawa, spanning the 12km in around 50 minutes. The route it takes is well-known for being dotted with rows of cherry blossoms and famous sakura spots. Right by Omokage-bashi Station are the cherry blossoms that line the Kanda River, and at Gakushuin-shita Station are the sakura along Meiji-dori. From Asukayama Station you can view the cherry blossoms in Asukayama Park, which has been a top sakura spot since the Edo period. In particular, the somei-yoshino cherries by Arakawa Shizen Koen Station are especially beautiful. Yet this is only a small portion of what you can see from the window of the Toden Arakawa Line. To appreciate the total picture, we definitely recommend experiencing the line’s full 50 minutes of hanami at the peak of the cherry blossoms’ bloom.

Price: ¥160, ¥80 children
Website: www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/services/streetcar.html

Full-speed sakura from a roller coaster

Yomiuri Land

Yomiuri Land amusement park is home to no less than 1,000 cherry blossom trees of around 10 varieties – somei-yoshino, yama-zakura, shidare-zakura, and shiba-zakura. The fabulous profusion of flowers as the sakura reach full bloom has made the park a famous hanami spot. Not only that, but Yomiuri Land also set a record for having the fastest hanami experience: the view from the thrilling Bandit roller coaster. Flying through a blur cherry blossoms at high speed has proven so popular that this year the park is running the roller coaster at night, too. Challenge yourself to a new perspective on hanami by weaving through brightly lit sakura at night on a roller coaster.

Hanami amusement park: Saku-land (day)
Date: Until Sun Apr 11, daily 9am-4pm
Admission: Entrance ¥1,200 adults (18 and over), ¥600 children (3 years old to high school students), One-day pass (includes unlimited access to rides, with some exceptions) ¥3,900 adults, ¥2,900 children, ¥3,900 silver (60 and older)

Hanami amusement park: Yoru-land (night)
Date: Fri-Sun and nat. holidays during the hanami period (Mon Mar 29-Thur Apr 1), 4-9pm
Admission: sold from 4pm during Yoru-land times: Entrance ¥500, Night Pass (includes unlimited access to rides, with some exceptions) ¥1,500

Address: 4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi, Tokyo
Telephone: (044)966 1111
Website: www.yomiuriland.co.jp/english/

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