Tokyo Cherry Blossom Spots: Nakameguro's Meguro River (目黒川) - Vikingess Voyages

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Tokyo Cherry Blossom Spots: Nakameguro's Meguro River (目黒川)

In Japan, the biggest sign that spring is on its way is the blooming of the cherry blossom, sakura. This is without a doubt Japan's most popular flower, and if you're in Japan you'll find yourself surrounded by products with cherry blossom design or even flavor (in most cases it's just wrapping with sakura design though). One of the popular places to see the pretty flowers is the Meguro-gawa River (目黒川) in Nakameguro. 


The Meguro river is a popular place to see the sakura both during daytime and in the evening. During the Nakameguro Sakura Matsuri (Nakameguro cherry blossom festival) the whole riverside is light up with lanterns in the evening, creating a beautiful setting for the Yozakura (夜桜) - cherry trees at evening.

So why are cherry blossoms so popular in Japan?
The Japanese have a saying, 一期一会 (ichigo ichie) that is hard to translate directly into English but that means something like "cherish this moment because you can never relive it". The blooming sakura shows off its fullest beauty only for a brief period, perfectly in line with the Japanese mentality of enjoying the moment. There are of course countless of other pretty flowers to be seen in Japan, but they never really gained the same status as the sakura.
The Meguro-gawa river is one of the places famous for its sakura trees, so as you can imagine it gets quite crowded.. If you're planning to visit the Meguro-gawa river it would probably be advisable to go there on a weekday to avoid the biggest crowds.

Here are some more photos from the visit:

There are a number of popular places to view the sakura (an activity referred to as hanami - 花見 in Japanese) throughout Japan. Some of my recommended places in close vicinity to Tokyo include the Ueno Park (also beautiful in autumn)Mt. Takao (great for an easy hike) and the Imperial Palace (where you can go jogging too). If you want to take a day trip to see Mt. Fuji as well then you should check out Mt. Iwadonosan in Ootsuki.


Basic Info
  • ・Name of Place: The Meguro-gawa River (目黒川)
  • ・Address:目黒川沿道, Meguro, 152-0000
  • ・Official Home Page:http://meguroku-net.com/

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Recommended Sakura View Hotels in Tokyo

Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo
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★★★★★
 
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Centurion Classic Akasaka
Hotel New Otani Tokyo
★★★★★

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The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo
The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo
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Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa
Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa
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Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
~Anette
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About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.

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About Me

Adventures ofAnette


A modern day shield-maiden who loves to explore the unbeaten paths of the world. From her base in Tokyo, Anette takes on both rural and urban challenges, and goes by the motto "No challenge too big, no adventure too small"!
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