Cherry blossoms

My wife and son will be arriving in Tokyo April 5, what's the latest info on cherry blossoms this year ?
Apart from the typical viewing places, can anyone suggest any other good/ interesting viewing spots ?
One previous poster suggested a quiet place to view as "Above the railroad line between Yotsuya and Ichigaya is a walkway lined with sakura. It also extends the other direction toward Iidabashi. Quite often there were only locals walking. Since it's linear, it's not as conducive to large hanami parties, but pretty just the same.....". Has anyone been there ?

what's the latest info on cherry blossoms this year ?

Here you go:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

Apart from the typical viewing places, can anyone suggest any other good/ interesting viewing spots ?

I found Koishikawa Botanical Garden very pleasant because there are relatively few people:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3034_004.html

One previous poster suggested a quiet place to view as "Above the railroad line between Yotsuya and Ichigaya is a walkway lined with sakura. It also extends the other direction toward Iidabashi. Quite often there were only locals walking. Since it's linear, it's not as conducive to large hanami parties, but pretty just the same.....". Has anyone been there ?

The canal along the Chuo Line around Iidabashi is lined by lots and lots of cherry trees and belongs to the best known cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. It is very beautiful.

Actually, I'm going to Japan from April 15-June 15. Will I miss the blossoms? I have no idea how long they should last. I'll be in Tokyo for the first month.

Basics about when cherry blossoms bloom where:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_when.html

Re Koishikawa Botanical Gardens, I tried googling and this is what I found : Myogadani station (Marunouchi line) or Hakusan station (Toei Mita line), can you tell me which is the nearest and easiest way to get there,
also which exit, thank you.
Re "the Chuo Line around Iidabashi..." If we have limited time, would you recommended to start from Yotsuya stn and walk towards Ichigaya stn, or start from Ichigaya stn and walk towards Lidabashi stn ?

Here you are
http://www.mapfan.com/en/en_m.cgi?MAP=E139.44.52.1N35.4...

Mtlk,

I just talked to my sister who works in Tokyo. She said that the weather has been unusually warm this year and if this trend continues into March, cherry blossom will start one week earlier than average. The average flowering start date in Tokyo is March 28. The best full bloom is 5 days later and continue to flower for 10 days. If March turns out to be colder than the trend, then flowering date will be back to average. But it looks more like March 21-March 31. Hope we have a colder March because I'm going to Tokyo on March 28 too!

The best site to check the forecast is (This year's forecast out on March 1)

http://gojapan.about.com/od/cherryblossom/a/sakuraforec...

As for places to watch Cherry Blossom in Tokyo, there are cherry blossoms everywhere and I tried to avoid the "Hanami" (flower watching) crowds in parks and gardens. I am an amateur photographer so I prefer to watch cherry blossoms with beautiful backgrounds such as rivers, Mt. Fuji, Castles, Imperial Palace or beaches. I avoid the "Hanami" crowds because they spread their picnic blanckets and drink beeer and get drunk and also smoke a lot!

Chad

Thanks a lot, Chad your reply has been most helpful.
We cannot get Tokyo before April 6, so if we plan instead to drive towards Nagano and the snow monkeys, are there any cherry blossom viewing spots you would recommend along the way (note we have driven before in Japan but we don't speak or read Japanese, we've not had a problem driving because we always the telephone number of our destination or somewhere closeby so the GPS navigation could guide us).

http://www.rurubu.com/season/spring/sakura/

if you would state specific date and the location I can look up on the 2009 chart for you.

-----drive towards Nagano and the snow monkeys, are there any cherry blossom viewing spots you would recommend along the way-----------

城山公園ーJyou yama kou en.
average 20 minutes drive from Matsumoto (10km or so) take hwy 158.
There is over 1800 trees, night time light up from 6pm to 10pm. Open all hours during the day and Matsuri is happening from April 4 to April 19. Admission is free. This is according to Rurubu site.

Thanks for the rurubu.com link, unfortunately it's in Japanese. Planning on driving from Tokyo to Nagano area via Kusatsu April 6 to 10.

Thanks again cc. How would you compare viewing cherry blossoms in 城山公園ーJyou yama kou en with some of the nicer spots in Tokyo as suggested by other posters here above ?

------How would you compare viewing cherry blossoms in 城山公園ーJyou yama kou en with some of the nicer spots in Tokyo as suggested by other posters here above ?-------

It's in Nagano. Isn't that where you planning on going? There suppose to be 1,800 cherry trees to view.
Tokyo is not one of my expertise but I've been to one and it just wasn't that pretty and felt like city and the air quality was bad.
I'm sure there are pretty places though in Tokyo.

I wonder if it were possible to get the tel no. for 城山公園 or if not then some place close-by for the GPS navigation of our rental car as we don't speak or read Japanese ? Many thanks.

According to Yahoo Map and its official website, NAGANO PREFECTURAL SHINANO ART MUSEUM is located in the Joyama park, east of Zenko-ji temple, and its phone no. is 026-232-0052

Museum
http://www.npsam.com/english/index.php
Zenko-ji temple
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6000.html

Thanks a lot for the tel no., I now feel confident the GPS navi will take us to Joyama Park. However, I can't find it on my map--just want to plan our journey by knowing roughly where it is in relation to Nagano-shi. I have the Japan road atlas by Shobunsha. Could someone please give me some pointers ?

I'm sorry mthk and everyone, the location's I was trying to say is 城山公園・アルプス公園 (jyouyama kouen, alps kouen) which is in Matsumoto city, Nagano and not in Nagano city, Nagano.
There is 城山公園 (jyouyama Kouyen) which is in Nagano City, Nagano and that is what I wrongfully listed.
城山公園・アルプス公園 in Matsunoto city has 1800 cherry trees with matsuri and night time illumination. Easy location to get to from Tokyo. you can take train out of Tokyo and short bus ride from Matsumoto station to 城山公園・アルプス公園.

Remember the location name as Matsumoto Jyouyama Kouen.
# 0263-32-5355

http://www.rurubu.com/event/detail.asp?ID=11600

http://www.rurubu.com/event/detail.asp?ID=11600

----by mthk (guest)To cc 2009/3/7
I wonder if it were possible to get the tel no. for 城山公園 or if not then some place close-by for the GPS navigation of our rental car as we don't speak or read Japanese ? Many thanks.-------

0263-32-5355　松本観光桜まつり委員会 / ---for parade events
0263-34-3254　松本市公園---- for viewing Sakura
I'm sorry I also made a mistake of not explaining that this is actually called 城山公園・アルプス公園 which is Matsumoto Jyouyama Kouen and it is in Matsumoto city , Nagano which is very easy to get to from Tokyo by train. From Matsumoto station, it's very short ride by bus to Matsumoto Jyouyama Kouen.

there is also name 城山公園 in Nagano city, Nagano and that name is what appears I printed previously but this isn't it. This place only has about 60 trees but right one in Matsumoto city has 1800 trees.