Cherry Blossom Viewing in Osaka, Japan

We stayed in Hotel Monterey Osaka which was where I stayed the last time I visited Osaka with my family. Loved the location of the hotel, and all the food outlets and shopping centres within walking distance. We also enjoyed the European design in our hotel grounds and snapped some lovely photos!

Osaka is a great place for food and some shopping, but not really the best for cherry blossom viewing. We found a great spot at Tempozan but that was about it. That said, we had a great time eating lots of tako balls and okonomiyaki, and exploring Dotonburi together!

Osaka Castle

Not a spectacular site for cherry blossom viewing and, while I liked the place, I would not recommend it as a top cherry blossom viewing spot in Osaka. But Osaka Castle is a must-visit in Osaka anyway, so just drop by and snap some pictures. 

Tempozan Park

A completely spontaneous find. We were in the area for Legoland when Zg pointed out that there was a park nearby with cherry blossoms so we walked around and searched for the place. We were so happy when we found it because it was simply amazing. The best part of Tempozan Park had to be that it was completely empty when we reached in the late afternoon. Most of the cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka were so crowded by mid-day that we had to make plans to wake up at the crack of dawn to avoid the crowd. Yet here it was, a park with beautiful cherry blossoms and not a soul in sight! I love the view of the cherry blossoms in front of the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel. 

3-2 Chikko, Minato-ku, Osaka 552-0021, Osaka Prefecture

The trip with Zg to view the cherry blossoms in Japan was an incredible one. We ate so much yummy food, took a million pictures, and had so many lovely memories together. Am also starting to see the perks of sleeping and waking early to avoid the crowd and enjoy the beautiful sights without having to jostle with a bunch of other tourists. It also allowed me to be so much more well-rested during this trip. 

Will never forget all the happy moments oooo-ing and ahhh-ing at the cherry blossoms together! :)

For our cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo and Kyoto, click on the links. 

Cherry Blossom Viewing in Kyoto, Japan

We stayed in the Sakura Terrace in Kyoto and it was one of the best decisions ever. It was within walking distance to the main Kyoto Station (10 minutes walk from the Hajicho West exit) so we could travel around easily on public transport. If you do not wish to walk that far, you could take the subway and alight at Kujo Subway Station (exit 2) and you will find yourself right in front of Sakura Terrace.

This place is definitely not a posh and luxurious hotel but it was amazing for the price we paid. It was much bigger than the Tokyo hotels and comes with a free drink every night so we could enjoy a glass of wine, cocktail or beer every night at the hotel bar after a long day outside. The room was clean and well-maintained, and there were convenience stores along the road leading to the Kyoto Station. We visited these convenience stores every night to buy drinks and random snacks. I am totally in love with the convenience stores in Japan!

Before I start on the cherry blossom viewing spots in Kyoto, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the days we spent in Kyoto. Kyoto was a lot less busy as compared to Tokyo and Osaka, and we could take long slow walks anywhere and just enjoy each other's company. I remember us walking hand in hand to AEON Mall near our hotel for dinner one night. The street was completely quiet, it was starting to get a little chilly, and he wrapped his arms around me. We walked in silence for a long while, not saying a word, and it was such a happy blissful moment. We broke the silence eventually by saying something funny and I remember our laughter ringing loud in that quiet night. :)

Gion District

This whole area looked like something out of a postcard. There were cherry trees everywhere and I am not even exaggerating. But there was one particular street with traditional wooden houses on both sides accompanied by a row of cherry blossoms in full bloom. This was where all the tourists flocked to for that perfect shot, and was also where we found ourselves pushed and shoved as the crowd surged ahead.

Japan, 〒605-0085 Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Motoyoshichō, 京都府京都市東山区末吉町大和大路通四条上る

Maruyama Park

Maruyama Park was a short walk away from Gion and located right behind the Yasaka Shrine. I visited Maruyama Park in winter previously and it was one of my favourite spots because it was so quiet and peaceful. Fast forward to the hanami season and I was in for a huge shock. Maruyama Park was crazy crowded. There were tourists everywhere, there were tourists plucking cherry blossoms off the branches and stuffing them into plastic bags (wtf?), and there were tourists shaking the branches for the effect of falling petals.

Japan, 〒605-0071 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Higashiyama Ward, Maruyamacho, 473他

The famous weeping cherry tree in Maruyama Park. 

But Maruyama Park was truly beautiful if you could get away from the crowd which was what we did. We found a small path which led to the top of a little hill where a lone pavilion stood among the blooming cherry trees. No rowdy crowds, no shouting, no madness. Just lots of greenery, cherry trees and fresh air. We stopped for a short break here and enjoyed the fresh air, the tranquility, and the peace. It was perfect. 

Kiyomizudera

By the time we reached Kiyomizudera, I had accepted the fact that it would be crowded at all the cherry blossom viewing spots in Kyoto so I was less surprised by the throngs of tourists when I reached Kiyomizudera. The scenery was beautiful at Kiyomizudera but I could not find a quiet spot at all. If anybody knows of  a good spot in this area to just enjoy the cherry blossoms quietly, do drop me a message!

294 Kiyomizu 1-chōme, Higashiyama-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 605-0862, Japan

I did not really enjoy my time at Kiyomizudera but I enjoyed the walk from Kiyomizudera back to the train station. A quiet road with cherry trees on one side. 

Togetsukyo Bridge

My favourite cherry blossom viewing spot in Kyoto. We made it to the Togetsukyo Bridge at dawn so the crowd had not arrived yet. I heard it could get crazy crowded in the day so I was very happy that we were able to enjoy some quiet moments here together. The park beside the Togetsukyo Bridge was filled with cherry trees and it was such a pretty sight! There were only a handful of visitors that early in the morning so we had so much space to roam around freely without having to jostle with the crowd. I seriously think waking up early to visit parks and touristy places might really be a good thing. Have to thank the boyfriend for dragging me out of bed so early in the morning to catch this beautiful sight!

Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 616-0000, Japan

For what to do (in addition to enjoying the beautiful cherry blossoms) and eat in Kyoto, visit here.

For cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, visit here.

For cherry blossom viewing in Osaka, visit here.

Cherry Blossom Viewing in Tokyo, Japan

Zg and I made the trip to Japan during the cherry blossom (sakura) season in 2016 to experience our very first hanami (also translated as "flower viewing"). It was really one of the best experiences ever and I could not stop marveling at the beautiful blooms.

We stayed at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Kyobashi because we wanted somewhere near the Tokyo Station this time and Sotetsu Fresa Inn was one of those near enough yet still reasonably priced. It was about a 10-minutes walk from the Yaesu South Exit which we found using GPS from our Global Advanced Wifi Router. There was also a much closer subway station (Kyobashi) which was just right across the hotel. The room was small (as with all the hotel rooms in Tokyo) but clean and comfortable. They also gave each of us a small bag filled with packets of shampoo, shower foam and cotton pad, a shower cap, and a hair band, which I thought was really sweet. The convenience store was just round the corner and we headed there every night to stock up on snacks and bottled water. 

Another perk about staying near Tokyo Station was that we were near the Yaesu Ramen Street and could indulge in our favourite tsukemen at Rokurinsha!

Tokyo Station, 東京駅一番街 B1 東京ラーメンストリート内 １-９-１ Marunouchi, 千代田区 Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

Back to cherry blossom viewing. We visited two places to view the cherry blossoms in Tokyo.

Chidorigafuchi Park. 

We took the subway to Kudanshita Station and took a short walk to the Chidorigafuchi park. We were blessed with beautiful weather that day! The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and it was so amazing looking at a whole row of cherry blossoms on both sides of the moat. Come early because the park fills up quickly and soon you will find yourself jostling with many others for a good spot to take pictures. 

The best part about cherry blossom viewing in Chidorigafuchi was rowing a little boat around the moat and getting close to the low hanging branches of the lovely cherry blossoms. So the sign in the picture below states that the operating hours start at 11 am. But we did our research before going and read on a forum somewhere that we could start rowing at 930 am so that was when we arrived. However, despite being somewhat on time, we realised that a long queue had already formed even before the start of the operating hours! We joined the queue and managed to get into a little boat within 30 minutes. 

Rowing the boat was hard work and I have to thank my boyfriend for shouldering that responsibility. For a long moment, it felt like there was a cluster of boats near the boathouse and everybody was unable to move because we were all just stuck. We also spotted a pair of Chinese tourists who attempted to stand while being in the boat and rocking the boat so violently that they almost fell overboard. 

So anyway, after some furious rowing and trying to get away from the rocks at the side, my awesome boyfriend found a spot away from the crowd and proposed to me! Such a sweet happy surprise <3 

It was really very romantic and I would suggest this as a potential proposal spot for all the gentlemen reading my blog. Everything was just so beautiful and it felt so right. The blue cloudless sky, the sunshine on my face, beautiful blooms everywhere, and my boyfriend working his arms off to row the boat to the perfect spot. 

I wish I could stop there and leave you with this romanticized idea of his proposal but we are a very real couple so here's the other side of the story. First, our boat could not stop spinning. We could not figure out why but the boat started spinning away happily the moment he put down the oars to fish the ring box out of his pocket. Second, we were so afraid we would drop the ring into the water (now that would not have been funny) so we were ultra careful with sticking the metal band on my finger. Third, neither of us could remember which hand the engagement ring should go so we froze for a moment and tried to recall. Fourth, I could not stop laughing once the ring was on my finger! I laughed and laughed like a mad woman for a long long time in a spinning boat. Guess I was really happy. Last, my stomach started to ache after all that laughing and I realised I needed to use the restroom so I nagged him to return to the boathouse asap. There is nothing as real in a relationship as having to run to the loo right after your boyfriend (now fiance) planted an engagement ring on your finger! I also had to be annoying and demanded that we find a clean restroom ("No, I'm not using the one in the park! It's so dirty!") so we circled around the area until we found a large hotel that we could enter and use the restroom ;)

Shinjuku Gyoen. 

With an entrance fee of 200 yen and loads of tourists by the time we entered, we kind of expected Shinjuku Gyoen to suck. But Shinjuku Gyoen was large enough to accommodate the large crowd streaming through the gates and the cherry blossoms were everywhere! We entered through the Shinjuku Gate which was the nearest to the Shinjuku Station but you could also enter through the other gates if those are nearer to your station. We wanted to have our own little picnic under the cherry blossoms too but we left our picnic mat in the hotel so we decided to enjoy Shinjuku Gyoen by walking around the park (our legs were so tired by the end of the afternoon!). If you would like to take a little break and enjoy a snack under the beautiful cherry blossoms, remember to pack a disposable mat in your bag when you head to Shinjuku Gyoen!

For cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto, visit here.

For cherry blossom viewing in Osaka, visit here.

For my post on what to eat and do in Tokyo, visit here and here.

If you would like to read my day-to-day posts in Tokyo, you can find them here.

What to eat in Tokyo, Japan

I did a list of awesome things to do in Tokyo, Japan and it is time for my list of recommended food places. Tokyo is such a foodie heaven if you are into Japanese food. No sashimi places in this list because I came down with a horrible case of food poisoning during my first trip to Tokyo and was completely afraid to eat anything raw during my second trip. As usual, this list is in no particular order.

NUMBER ONE: MUTEKIYA RAMEN

You must be prepared to queue in adverse conditions if you want to try Mutekiya Ramen. The shop space is incredibly small and everybody queues on the pavement outside, fully exposed to the elements. We were in Tokyo in winter and visited Mutekiya on a rainy day. We queued in the rain for an hour and were shivering so badly from the cold that our hands were numb. Was it worth the wait? YES. The broth was so thick and delicious and the noodles were so springy! I love the thick slab of braised pork as well.

Japan, 〒171-0022 東京都豊島区 南池袋1丁目17-1 (near to the Ikebukuro station. Not the easiest to find and I was thankful my bro knew his way around. "Just walk towards the Y-junction" he said.)

NUMBER TWO: NAGI RAMEN

By number two, I feel sorry for my parents that they have kids who make them queue in temperatures of a few degrees for almost an hour each time. We reached Nagi well after lunch hour but we still had to queue for close to 40 minutes. Tucked away on the second floor in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku, this place was hard to find. Look out for the small red sign with black lettering along a narrow alley. You join the queue inside a back alley and go upstairs to purchase a ticket for your ramen. When a seat is ready, you will be ushered upstairs. The stairs are steep and the seating area is incredibly small, narrow and cramped. Was it worth it? The broth, made from sardines, was very special and had the distinct sweetness of seafood. Noodles were also suitably springy. But I still prefer my pork bone soup base anytime.

1-1-10 Kabukicho, Shinjuku 160-0021, Tokyo Prefecture

NUMBER THREE: ROKURINSHA 

The queue was better here and we waited for only 15 minutes in a nice air-conditioned environment since Rokurinsha is situated in Tokyo Solamachi, the shopping centre at the bottom of Tokyo Skytree. Rokurinsha serves awesome tsukemen, which is ramen with dipping soup. The ramen here is thick, a close cousin to udon and the dipping soup is delicious! Grabbing a mouthful of ramen, dunking it in the hot dipping soup and slurping it all up was fantastic! I like it so much I ate it on BOTH trips. It was that good.

Rokurinsha 六厘舎 – Skytree
Tokyo Solamachi, Level 6, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo Japan

They have another outlet at the Yaesu Ramen Street in Tokyo Station which I visited during my third trip to Tokyo. Goes to show how much I enjoy Rokurinsha <3

Tokyo Station, 東京駅一番街 B1 東京ラーメンストリート内 １-９-１ Marunouchi, 千代田区 Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

NUMBER FOUR: TSUNAHACHI

For tempura! I had this on both trips too and all outlets were conveniently located in shopping malls which made locating this place and waiting for our meals so much more comfortable. Crispy fresh tempura for lunch always made my day. I chose to sit along the counter the first time I had Tsunahachi with the boyfriend and, while it was an eye-opening experience, we both smelled like fried batter when we left. I chose the table seats with my family and it was so much better. 

NUMBER FIVE: CAFE AT MAACH ECUTE

This is a fantastic date spot, perfect for a cup of coffee and tea while we catch up on life together. The boyfriend brought me here and I really liked the collection of small shops in the old train station. The cafe on the second floor was amazing! Situated in a little glass house between the train tracks, we could see trains entering and leaving the stations while we sip our tea slowly.You could either choose to sit inside or outside (air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned respectively). I personally feel that the best seat in the house is definitely the last table outside because of the unobstructed view.

There were many other eateries and cafes that were pretty decent and which I liked a lot such as Coco Ichibanya in Shinjuku, Curry Times in Akiba, Kohmen, bright airy cafes along Omotesando, oyako-don in Akihabara-UDX Building, and Spicy Tofu Soup in Odaiba. But the list above is my absolute favourite!

NUMBER SIX: DOMINIQUE ANSEL BAKERY

We discovered Dominique Ansel Bakery during our trip to New York City and fell in love with the cronuts! I have tried cronuts (or cronuts wannabes) in many other places but, honestly, nothing comes close. I have been dying to have more Dominique Ansel cronuts for so long. Just imagine how excited I was when I realised that Dominique Ansel Bakery was starting a branch in Tokyo! Amazing. Would not miss it for the world.

Unlike the main bakery in New York City, the Tokyo outlet in the Harajuku area did not allow reservations so we headed down early to queue. We reached at 930 am (the bakery opened at 10 am) and were the fourth group in line. They served chai latte to all who were queuing outside (I'm not sure whether they do this regularly or this was a gesture of goodwill because of the cold weather) and we watched in the cold as they hurried around preparing the cafe for opening.

The April cronut flavour was Okinawa Pineapple Milk Chocolate Ganache with Plum Sugar. The array of cakes and pastries looked so amazing that we ordered way too much. We had a cronut each, a Paris-Tokyo (this pretty matcha tart), DKA, an almond croissant, and a Mr Robata. We wanted to have these on the shinkansen to Kyoto but we could not finish all of them so we kept some for breakfast the next morning.

5 Chome-7-14 Jingumae, 渋谷区 Tokyo 150-0001, Japan

For my day to day posts in Tokyo, check this out.

For my post on cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, check this out.