2011/04/19 - Tokyo Report
by scott
Today I set out on our final Tokyo cherry blossom report trip of the year. As expected, the season has either ended or is quickly coming to a close at the majority of the famous hanami spots around the city.
Shinjuku Gyoen
April 19, 2011 - end of season (somei yoshino)
April 19, 2011 - full bloom (late blooming varieties)
Since my last visit to Shinjuku Gyoen on April 14, 2011 the somei yoshino cherry blossoms have definitely reached the end of the season. A few hours of rain showers this morning have knocked down the majority of the remaining petals and the green leaves are beginning to dominate the trees.
Shinjuku Gyoen
Shinjuku Gyoen
Shinjuku Gyoen
The focus of the season has clearly shifted to the wide variety of late blooming cherry trees, which there are quite a large number of planted around Shinjuku Gyoen. The Kanzan and Ichiyo cherry blossoms, the more prominent of the late blooming varieties found around the park, have reached full bloom and will continue to be at their peak for at least the next few days.
Shinjuku Gyoen - Late blooming cherry blossoms
Shinjuku Gyoen - Late blooming cherry blossoms
Shinjuku Gyoen - Late blooming cherry blossoms
Chidorigafuchi
April 19, 2011 - end of season
Next I headed over to Chidorigafuchi, the northwest portion of the moat around the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Very few people were strolling the paths along the river today as the trees here have lost nearly all of their petals and the season has effectively ended here. Boat rentals along the moat have also stopped.
Chidorigafuchi
Chidorigafuchi
Chidorigafuchi - The walking paths along the outer bank of the moat
Imperial East Gardens
April 19, 2011 - end of season (somei yoshino)
April 19, 2011 - full bloom (late blooming varieties)
Today was our first and only visit to the Imperial East Gardens during this year's cherry blossom season. The gardens are located on the inner most grounds of the former Edo Castle in central Tokyo. There are perhaps a few dozen somei yoshino trees scattered around the former castle's main circle (honmaru), which were already mostly green today.
Imperial East Gardens - Honmaru
Imperial East Gardens
I also saw quite a few late blooming cherry blossom varieties planted around the honmaru, including kanzan, ukon, and ichiyo trees which were at full bloom today. They look like they will continue to be at their peak for at least the next few days.
Imperial East Gardens - Late blooming Kanzan trees in the Honmaru
Imperial East Gardens - Late blooming Kanzan cherry blossoms
Imperial East Gardens - Late blooming Ukon cherry blossoms
Meanwhile there were only a handful of cherry trees found around the Japanese style Ninomaru garden located in the castle's former second circle (ninomaru). Generally these have also lost the majority of their petals and were beyond peak today.
Imperial East Gardens - Ninomaru
| 
