The best places to view cherry blossoms – some much closer to home
Spring time is fast upon us, and our side of the globe is getting its famously pretty-in-pink makeover. For those of you planning your sakura-viewing schedule, it’s time to get started – especially if you’re hoping to catch the popular blooms in Japan.
For the rest, you’ll be glad to know that Japan doesn’t have the monopoly on cherry blossoms. There are plenty of other hotspots around the world – some much closer to Singapore – that will start bursting into pink at other times of the year, so start scheduling these places into your travel calendar.
Photo: Tobu Railway
1. Sumida Park, Tokyo, Japan
When: End-March to early-April
One of Tokyo’s best cherry blossom spots, Sumida Park presents different atmospheres when you visit during night and day. The cherry trees here date back to 1700, when Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eighth shogun of the Edo era, planted the trees as a flood control project.
Today, about 640 cherry trees burst into its elegant colors along the 1km stretch of the Sumida River. The park is located near Senso-ji temple and the Tokyo Skytree.
Many food stalls are set up when the cherry trees are in bloom, selling treats like sakura mochi and kototoi dango that taste extra-sweet with the view.
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