First Hanami

Yoyogi Park (Yoyogi Kouen 代々木公園), Harajuku

Keiji and Arisa had their very first hanami picnic. There are so many places to see sakura but we chose to spend the day at Yoyogi Park one Sunday when the sakura trees were in full bloom and it was just great. It was so alive with many groups of people just enjoying the sakura, the weather and each other’s company. DJ’s playing some house music in one area, gothic lolita kids sitting under the barren trees or posing for tourists, families playing soccer, skaters practicing their ollies, young boys catching tadpoles in the pond, young hipsters drinking and laughing, rock bands performing. There were so many types of people and so many nationalities present yet no one minded each other’s differences, they were all just there with the same purpose of having a pleasant time. And there are beautiful trees, wide lawns, ponds, spaces for street performers. It’s a really nice park and to me it has similar energy that I find in Central Park, New York City.

Keiji and Arisa enjoyed themselves too. Living in a city where most people don’t have the luxury of a backyard or garden, it’s nice to spend time in parks so the kids can actually set their bare feet on real grass!

How to Get There: It’s a 5-minute walk from the Harajuku Station on JR Yamanote Line.

Traveling with a baby? There is a ramp from the platform to the street level from one of the exits – I believe it is the Omotesando Exit, but I will double check next time we go.