The Tokyo Traveler » Hanami http://www.thetokyotraveler.com About Tokyo for travelers, visitors, and residents. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:30:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Summer in Tokyo – Festivals, Fireworks & So Much More http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/06/summer-in-tokyo-festivals-fireworks-so-much-more/ http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/06/summer-in-tokyo-festivals-fireworks-so-much-more/#comments Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:00:07 +0000 http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/summer-in-tokyo-festivals-fireworks-so-much-more/ Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> Yukata on the beach Summer in Japan is well known for it’s heat and humidity but it is also time to dust of your yukata (summer kimono) and head out to a festival or to your local park for a bento picnic. You can also catch some great hanabi (fireworks) shows or head out to a baseball game.

Many festivals are held throughout the year and you can attend one on almost any weekend during the summer months. The Japan Times provides a Monthly Guide to Festivals in Japan which is a great resource for visitors and residents alike. Attending a festival is a great way to get some insight into Japanese culture by sampling some of the street food or taking in some of the entertainment or festival games. The festivals usually held on the grounds of historic temples or shrines and lend a historic atmosphere to these great events.

Fireworks Hanabi, or fireworks, are very popular during the summer months. The Sumida River Fireworks Festival, scheduled for July 26th (weather permitting), is the oldest fireworks show on record in Japan. It dates back to 1733, when the Shogun staged a ceremony the Sumida River to pray for the souls of the victims of a famine the previous year and to drive away disease.

If you just want to relax on a sunny afternoon, pick up a bento from your local grocery store and head out to one of these great parks:

  • Yoyogi Park Yoyogi Park, a huge green area near the Meiji Jingu Shrine (map). Sundays are great for people watching as the Gothic Lolitas and their friends are usually out in force strutting their stuff.
  • Ueno Park offers a relaxing stroll around the Shinobazu pond, where you can rent pedal powered boats, or you can visit the Ueno Zoo before claiming a spot for your picnic. (map)

You can also dine by the light of fireflies until July 18th or cheer on your favorite team at a baseball game.

It might be hot outside, but why would you want to stay home with the air conditioner going full blast when there are so many great things to do and see over the summer in Tokyo!

Photo Credit: Flickr, Yukata Couple, Fireworks 04 & Yoyogi Park

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]]> http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/06/summer-in-tokyo-festivals-fireworks-so-much-more/feed/ 4 Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/04/cherry-blossoms-in-tokyo/ http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/04/cherry-blossoms-in-tokyo/#comments Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:19:32 +0000 http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/cherry-blossoms-in-tokyo/ Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> Imperial Hanami

It’s Hanami season in Tokyo right now and Chidorigafuchi is one of the more famous cherry blossom viewing spots in the city. How about renting a boat and paddling around the moat of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo while they are in bloom? Can you think of a more relaxing way to enjoy the cherry blossoms?

Row boat rental is normally Y500 for 30 minutes but during cherry blossom season the cost rises to Y800. ($5 & $8 USD).

Take Tokyo Metro to Kudanshita Station and follow the signs to Chidorigafuchi.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

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