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Useful Information  

March 01, 2010

'The Weather News' has predicted the flowering dates of cherry
blossoms.
The best time to view cherry blossoms will be late March to early April.
However, it depends on the weather and temperatures. 

As temperatures have been comparatively high this year, the trees
will begin blooming several days earlier than usual, around March 22
in Tokyo and Yokohama according to The Weather News.

SAKURA






Here is a list of popular locations for cherry blossoms:

TOKYO

AOYAMA REIEN (AOYAMA CEMETARY)

 Address

 2-32-2 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

 Open 
 Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 Over 400, mainly Somei-yoshino

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 Total area 26 hectares.  There is an antique 
 market in Nogi Jinja (Nogi Shrine) which is about
 10-minute walk from Nogizaka station.  It is held
 on second Sundays every month exept November.

 Getting
 There

 10-minute walk from Gaien-mae Station
 (Ginza Line), or Nogizaka Station.
 (Chiyoda Line)

 URL

-

 ARK HILLS

 Address

 Ark Hills

 Open
 Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 150 Somei Yoshino trees

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 Behind Suntory Hall at Ark Hills and all along the
 Spanish Embassy's wall, 150 Somei Yoshino trees
 from a 700 meter-long archway of blossoms. 
 While the Cherries are full bloom they are lit up
 from sunset until 10pm.  A cherry blossom
 festival is also held at Ark Hills Karajan.

Getting
 There

 1-minute walk from Exit 13 of Tameike-Sanno 
 Station (Namboku Line or Ginza Line) 1-minute
 walk from Roppongi 1-chome Station.
 (Namboku Line)

 URL

 -


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(16:38)

LIST 2

sakura_chidori-ga-fuchi







TOKYO

 CHIDORI-GA-FUCHI MINAKAMI PARK

 Address

 2-3, Kudan-Minami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

 Open
 Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 About 300, mainly Somei-yoshino

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 Chidori-ga-fuchi is one of the moats of a former
 Edo Castle and one of the more famous cherry
 blossom viewing spots in Tokyo. 
 Enjoy a boat ride along the moat, surrounded by
 cherry trees that are lit up in the evening.
 Yasukuni Shrine is nearby and you can enjoy
 cherry blossoms there are well.  If you walk a little
 further, you will be able to get to Higashi-Gyoen
  (the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace). 
 A Sakura Festival is held every April.

 Getting
 There

 5-minute walk from Kudanshita Station.
 (Hanzo-mon, To-zai, or Toei Shinjuku Lines)

 URL

 

HAMA RIKYU ONSHI-TEIEN

 Address

 1-1, Hama Rikyu Teien, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

 Open
 Hours

 9:00 - 17:00 (Last admission 16:30)

 Trees

 About 100

 Entrance
 Fee

 300 yen

 Comments

 This beautiful Japanese Garden is kept by charging
 entrance fee to keep the crowds down.  No pets.

 Getting
 There

 A short walk from Tsukiji Shijo Station.
 (Toei Oedo Line)

 URL

http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/english/park/detail_04.html


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(16:37)

LIST 3

TOKYO

INOKASHIRA PARK

 Address

 1, Goten-yama, Musashino City, Tokyo

 Open
 Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 630

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 Many cherry trees are around the Inokashira pond
 and there is a boat ride available on the pond.
 Three different boats are available with different
 prices.  Be prepared for a long wait in cherry
 blossoms season.

 Getting 
 There

 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station South Exit
 (JR Chuo Line, Sobu Line, or Keio Line)

 URL

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inokashira_Park

 JINGU GAIEN (Meiji Jingu outer gardens)

 Address

 1-1, Kasumigaoka-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

 Open
 Hours

 9:00 - 16:30 every day

 Trees

 About 500

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 There's no toilet. Drinking party is prohibited

 Getting
 There

 5-minute walk from Gaien-mae Station
 (Ginza Line), or Shinanomachi Station (JR)

 URL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Shrine


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(16:36)
LIST 4

sakura_shinjuku gyoen







TOKYO


 SHIBA KOEN / ZOJO-JI TEMPLE

 Address

 4-7-35, Shiba Koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo

 Open
 Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 About 100

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 A nice place to visit with the temple as a backdrop
 to the beautiful cherry trees in bloom.

 Getting
 There

 3-minute walk from Onarimon Station
 (Toei Mita Line), 5-minute walk from Daimon
 Station (Toei Asakusa Line or Oedo Line)

 URL

 http://www.zojoji.or.jp/en/index.html

 SHINJUKU GYOEN

 Address

 11, Naito-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

 Open
 Hours

 9:00 - 16:30 (last admission 16:00)

 Trees

 75 types and more than 1,500 trees, including the
 yaezakura (double-blossoming cherry tree)

 Entrance
 Fee

 200 yen

 Comments

 This garden near the shopping district of Shinjuku
 has many types of cherry and plum trees.

 Getting
 There

 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Gyoen Station
 (Marunouchi Line), or Sendagaya Station (JR Line)

 URL

 http://www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen/english/index.html


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(16:35)
LIST 5

sakura_ueno park








TOKYO

 SUMIDA PARK

Address

 Sumida Park, on the banks of the Sumida River
 near Asakusa

 Open
 Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 More than 1,000

 Entrance
 Fee

 Free

 Comments

 This is one of the most famous cherry blossom
 viewing spots in Tokyo.  The park has about a
 1-kilometer row of trees along the Sumida river
 on the side of Taito-ku.  There is also a park
 across the river in Sumida-ku where there is
 a Sakura Matsuri in April and a monthly antique
 market.

 Getting
 There

 2-minute walk from Asakusa Station
 (Ginza Line or Asakusa Line)

 URL

-

 UENO PARK

 Address

 5-20, Ueno Koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo

 Open Hours

 All day every day

 Trees

 About 1,200

 Entrance
Fee

 Free

 Comments

 This park not only has 1,200 cherry trees, but
 also features historical, art museum, shrine,
 pond, and zoo. 
 In Sakura season, many people have parties in the
 evening, so it's recommended that you go in
 daytime if you prefer a quiet atmosphere. 
 Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) is
 held in April, and Natsu Matsuri
 (Summer Festival) is held in July-August every
 year.

 Getting There

 2-3 minutes walk from Ueno Station
 (JR, Hibiya, or Ginza Lines)

 URL

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ueno_Park


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(16:34)
LIST 9

sakura_yokohama







YOKOHAMA


 HONMOKU SANCHO PARK

 Address

 Honmoku Sancho Park

 Open Hours

 All day every day

 Entrance Fee

 Free

 Location

 Close to Yokohama Country & Athletic Club

 MOTOMACHI KOEN (MOTOMACHI PARK)

 Address

 Motomachi Koen

 Open Hours

 All day every day

 Entrance Fee

 Free

 Location

 Ablove Motomachi Shopping Street, on the way to Bluff Main Raod.        

KAMON YAMA PARK

 Address

 Kamonyama Koen

 Open Hours

 All day every day

 Entrance Fee

 Free

 URL

 http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3206.html        

SHINRIN KOEN (Negishi Forest Park)

 Address

 Negishi Shinrin Koen

 Open Hours

 All day every day

 Entrance Fee

 Free

 URL

 http://www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp/eng/tourism/spot/spot1080.html       



sakura map in Yokohama









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(15:57)

LIST 8

sakura_ookayama river














YOKOHAMA

 YOKOHAMA SANKEIEN GARDEN

 58-1, Honmoku-Sannotani, Naka-ku, Yokohama

 9:00 - 17:00  (last admission 16:30)

 500 yen

 http://www.sankeien.or.jp/pdf/guidemap_english.pdf

 THE OOKAGAWA RIVER CHERRY BLOSSOM

 Between Sakuragawa-bashi & Sakae-bashi

 All day every day

 Free

http://mymapofjapan.com/transit/stations/view/2700129

 HONMOKU DORI (HONMOKU STREET)

 Honmoku Sakura-michi road

 All day every day

 Free

 


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(15:48)
LIST 6

sakura_yasukuni shrine








TOKYO

 YASUKUNI SHRINE

 Address

 3-1-1, Kudan-kita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

 Open Hours

 6:00 - 19:00 (-18:00 in Winter season)

 Trees

 About 1,000

 Entrance Fee

 Free

 Comments

 This shrine is famous for the three cherry trees
 which are the standard by which the
 Meteorological Agency announces the official
 timing of cherry blossoms blooming in Tokyo.
 There is a Sakura Matsuri at the beginning of
 April.  About 300,000 people attend and there are
 a lot of street stalls.  Also check out the many
 cherry blossoms that line the nearby Imperial
 Palace moat.

 Getting There

 3-minute walk from Kudanshita Station
 (Hanzo- mon Line, To-zai Line, and
  Shinjuku Lines)

 URL

-

YOYOGI PARK

 Address

 2-1, Yoyogi-Kamisono-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

 Open Hours

 5:00 - 17:00 every day

 Trees

 About 100

 Entrance Fee

 Free

 Comments

 Sakurano-sono (cherry blossom garden) is
 beautiful.  It is located between the South gate
 and the Shibuya gate.  There is a lot of space to
 wander around. 
 A flea market is held every month.

 Getting There

 5-minute walk from Harajuku Station
 (JR Yamanote Line)

 URL

-


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(15:02)

February 23, 2010

Have you ever seen this mark?

mark 2

 
It says a “baby is inside tummy”.

 

It’s called ‘Maternity Mark’, and
was officially announced by the
Ministry of Health, Labor and
Welfare in March, 2006, in an
effort to help create a friendly
environment for pregnant
women.

 

It is difficult to recognize women
in the early stages of pregnancy, especially here in
Japan where maternity fashions that hide swollen
tummies are very popular. It was created in response
from comments by pregnant women who desired to get
‘assistance at staircases’ and be “offered a seat on
public transportion”. This mark also makes it easier to
give assistance or your seat to women displaying this
mark. One does not want to offend a young woman for
misjudgment from her appearance alone. 

 

This item can be obtained from your local ward office
(kuyakusho) when reporting pregnancy to obtain a
‘Maternity and Child Health Handbook’. 

 

Check the website below for more symbols for
priority seats:

http://www.ecomo.or.jp/barrierfree/pictogram/data/seats%20data.pdf

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(09:47)